The electrical power supply of any city is usually associated with a gigantic power grid. This may no longer be the case if the new battery unveiled in Oregon has any say in the matter.  The 5-megawatt, lithium-ion energy storage system has been developed by Portland General Electric. The battery is a result of a five year research project that began back in 2010.

The energy storage facility is part of PGE’s contribution to the Battelle-led Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project. It is a highly innovative project demonstrating transactive energy management, which is a promising, cost-effective way to integrate variable renewable energy, energy storage and demand response at scale, said Patricia Hoffman, assistant secretary for DOE’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.

Essentially the battery is part of a micro grid which is part of a highly reliable, localized power zone that will supply power to nearly 500 customers in the area. It will also work as a power reserve during electricity disruptions such as blackouts caused by unknown reasons.

PGE is testing several smart-grid technologies in the Salem area and hopes that its innovative new battery will allow future power grids to be smaller in size. The impact of this science project is likely to have a large footprint in the electrical power supply industry.