Aggreko has signed an agreement with Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC), the largest electric cooperative in the United States, to install and commission the utility’s first-ever battery energy storage system: a 2.25 MW / 4.5 MWh project in Johnson City, Texas.

Electric cooperatives often excel in solar procurement thanks to member desire for renewables and other reasons. Five other electric distribution cooperatives in Texas have recently signed agreements to purchase 7 MW of distribution-scale solar generation.

Managed by Aggreko’s intelligent software and integrated with the company’s power electronics, the battery installation for PEC will provide grid services to the Texas grid operator ERCOT. The system will also provide solar shifting from a nearby solar farm within the PEC service territory.

“We are pleased to be selected by Pedernales Electric Cooperative for this project,” said Karim Wazni, managing director of Aggreko Microgrid and Storage Solutions. “We were chosen based on our active and successful participation in the ERCOT market, and because our modular and scalable battery system design, controlled by our intelligent software, was ideally suited to how PEC plans to utilize the system.”

“We are excited about our partnership with Aggreko, and are eager to move forward with the battery storage initiative,” said PEC CEO Julie C. Parsley. “The system will not only provide ancillary services to ERCOT, but will help add capacity to the electric grid.”

This will be Aggreko’s sixth battery storage project in the dynamic Texas energy storage market, where the company has long been a leader. These systems include the 36 MW Notrees project, North America’s largest wind-integrated battery plant, and an innovative DOE-funded project with Austin Energy combining 1.75 MW / 3.2 MWh of battery storage and solar power.

News item from Aggreko