Eos Energy Storage announced its involvement in two U.S. battery projects using the company’s Aurora 2.0 battery system. Aurora 2.0 is an aqueous zinc battery, built on 10 years of testing as a safe, scalable alternative to lithium-ion. The battery system has been installed by Duke Energy as part of a solar-plus-storage system in North Carolina as well as in a stand-alone, behind-the-meter battery solution at the University of California, San Diego.

“These two projects represent an important step in our journey to help accelerate clean energy while ensuring that it is competitive and reliable. With over 10 years of testing and refinement, these deployments demonstrate that our system is ready to scale in two of the fastest growing renewable energy markets in the world,” said Philippe Bouchard, Eos’ SVP of Business Development.

Duke Energy is commissioning a 30-kW/120-kWh system at its McAlpine test facility. The battery has been DC-coupled to a grid-connected solar array. Because the Eos system does not require HVAC or fire suppression, it can be decentralized and distributed throughout the solar array, allowing developers to maximize energy production while minimizing upfront capital cost and O&M.

“With $500 million of battery storage projects slated for the Carolinas over the next 10 years, Duke Energy is actively deploying the technology in our communities as a way to enhance reliability, defer system upgrades and deliver operational benefits for all customers,” said Tom Fenimore, Business Development Manager at Duke Energy.

The deployment at University of California, San Diego, will demonstrate the Eos Aurora’s multi-hour discharge capability as a means to reduce demand charges and manage retail energy consumption for commercial and industrial customers. The system provides 30 kW/120 kWh as a modular, AC-integrated, plug-and-play solution optimized for behind-the-meter applications. The project also prepares Eos for delivery of a larger 10-MW/40-MWh utility-scale project contracted by developer Convergent Energy + Power with Pacific Gas & Electric. To date, Eos is the only non-lithium energy storage technology contracted through California’s statewide procurement mandate AB2514.

“As a national site host for laboratory and field testing of innovative and unique energy storage system for a rapidly growing and important market, UC San Diego looks forward to testing of the CA Energy Commission project with Eos,” said UCSD Director, Strategic Energy Initiatives Byron Washom.

Both projects are installed and undergoing commissioning; they will be monitored to test the Aurora 2.0 performance in different use cases and operating conditions.

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