Decorah, Iowa is now home to a 2.5-megawatt, 2.9-megawatt-hour battery that connects to multiple locally owned solar energy systems. As a result, excess solar energy will be delivered to the main electrical grid only when it is needed most, which cuts down on load and the need for additional transmission infrastructure. The battery project was a public-private partnership completed with support from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (Iowa Energy Office), Alliant Energy, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity, and Sandia National Labs. It will also be studied by the Iowa State University’s Electric Power Research Center as an example of a circuit with customer owned generation.
According to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, “This battery storage project in Decorah will create jobs, spur local investment and serve as a model for America’s growing energy sector. Iowa will continue to harness the power of public-private partnership to further Iowa’s reputation as a leader in renewable energy production while also creating a more efficient and resilient electric grid.”
The Decorah battery storage project is part of Alliant Energy’s Clean Energy Blueprint which serves as a roadmap to increase renewable generation and reduce emissions in Iowa. For more information, review the press release here.