S&C Electric Company, a leader in smart grid and renewable energy solutions, has been awarded a turnkey energy storage project by Southern California Edison (News - Alert) (SCE)— which will use the new capacity to effectively handle peak power loads on Catalina Island, about 22 miles southwest of Los Angeles.

Chicago-based S&C Electric will furnish a turnkey 1-MW  Smart Grid SMS Storage Management System for Catalina Island, which is 8 miles across at its greatest width, and is not tied to the mainland grid.  The Smart Grid SMS is a fast-responding automatic controller that uses built-in intelligence to control charging and discharging of sodium-sulfur batteries.

The energy storage system will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the island's diesel generators; and will support power demand, which fluctuates throughout the day. By deploying stored energy during times of peak power demand, the Smart Grid SMS permits Catalina Island generators to run at a specific percentage of capacity for optimal performance and decreased carbon emissions.

"Working with an islanded grid poses unique challenges for reliable power delivery," commented Thomas Barker, senior engineer of Rosemead, California-based Southern California Edison. "Installing a comprehensive storage system helps us run more efficiently and reduce our emissions – all while effectively managing load changes to ensure consistent service for our 3,000 island residents plus the many visitors to the island."

Since 2006, S&C has successfully furnished, installed, and commissioned 12 MW of sodium-sulfur battery storage throughout the United States, with another 12 MW planned for 2011. Among the completed projects are three of the world's first islanding applications.

"Energy storage enhances utilization of renewable energy resources, and it reduces the need for fossil-fuel-fired generation to serve peak demand and maintain a stable grid," said Jim Sember, S&C vice president of Power Quality Products. "S&C continues to innovate new solutions that are helping utilities realize the full potential of energy storage in building a greener grid."

Just a few days ago, S&C announced that it had been chosen by BC Hydro  in British Columbia, Canada, for an energy storage project that will greatly improve service reliability, capacity, and access for another remote location—Golden, a town surrounded by three different mountain ranges and five National Parks. For this location, as well, S&C will engineer and install a complete energy storage solution featuring its Smart Grid SMS Storage Management System. The turnkey system will integrate sodium-sulfur batteries onto the grid seamlessly, allowing the batteries to support a portion of the peak load depending on demand.