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Xtreme Power and Xcel Energy Partner With SolarTAC on Utility-Scale
"Solar-to-Battery" Distribution Project
Dynamic Power Resource™ to be installed at nation’s largest solar
technology testing facility
DENVER, Colo.,--
Xtreme Power Inc.,
provider of Dynamic Power Resources™ (DPRs) for utility-scale energy
storage, and Xcel Energy (NYSE:XEL) today announced a partnership to install
a 1 megawatt (MW) system to collect operational data on the integration of
energy storage and solar energy systems at the Solar Technology
Acceleration Center (SolarTAC).
SolarTAC is a private facility in Aurora, Colo. that serves as a solar
industry test bed to validate and demonstrate a variety of solar
technologies. The role of Xtreme Power’s DPR is to perform a number of
energy storage and grid asset functions, including output smoothing, time
shifting and forecast error mitigation for solar energy generated at the
site.
The project aims to display the real-world results of integrating storage
systems with solar installations, to more efficiently incorporate energy
output from renewable sources onto the power grid. Results will be made
public to reflect the system’s performance over the course of three years.
"Taking part in the SolarTAC project with Xcel Energy affords us an
opportunity to work alongside one of the most progressive utilities in the
industry," said Carlos Coe, CEO of Xtreme Power. "We expect the
results to highlight the broad range of benefits battery energy storage
brings to PV manufacturers, project developers and power producers,
ultimately enabling a more effective utilization of clean energy around
the world."
"We hope that this demonstration will prove to be a pivotal point for
PV solar energy combined with energy storage, and in turn underscore for
utilities and other electricity providers that viable energy storage
systems can become a commercial reality," said Frank Novachek, Xcel
Energy director for business planning.
The DPR will be operational at the site by the end of 2010.
About SolarTAC
The Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC) is the largest test
facility for solar technologies in the United States. Located in Aurora,
Colorado, SolarTAC provides a venue for researching, demonstrating,
testing, and validating a broad range of solar technologies at the early
commercial or near-commercial stage of development. SolarTAC, managed and
operated by Midwest Research Institute (MRI), supports proprietary
research, testing and demonstration by Member Companies as well as
collaborative activities between the Members to support the overall growth
of the industry. SolarTAC originated in 2008 when six public and private
sector entities-- Xcel Energy (the original founding member), Abengoa
Solar, the City of Aurora, the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory,
Midwest Research Institute (MRI), and SunEdison -- joined forces to
establish a large site where cutting edge solar technologies could be
tested and demonstrated at a utility scale and under actual field
conditions. For more information, please visit
www.solartac.org