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The global prime contractor has been selected to build the first long-duration energy storage system for the US Army.
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Lockheed Martin has secured a contract from the US Department of Defense for the development of a megawatt-scale, long-duration energy storage system, dubbed GridStar Flow.
The system, to be installed at Fort Carson, Colorado, will be designed under the management of the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL).
GridStar Flow is billed as the first of its kind — a redox flow battery designed for large-capacity storage applications, storing power generated from renewable energy sources.
The system dispatches it to electric grids during peak demand or unanticipated electricity loss.
The first customer-sited production system is expected to serve as a demonstration unit for the Army and ERDC-CERL.
This system is set to be tested against protocols simulating microgrid and renewable integration with the aim of ensuring critical missions can continue in the event of a long-term power outage.
GridStar Flow is expected to have a discharge duration of 10 hours.
“Electric grids are undergoing unprecedented change. Energy requirements are shifting as we consider renewable resources coupled with utility-scale, long-duration storage options,” Dr Andrew J Nelson, director, CERL, said.
“Solutions to increase resiliency and self-sufficiency are crucial to economically and sustainably supporting DoD operations.”
According to Lockheed Martin, insights from this pilot project could support the deployment of future long-duration storage across all US DoD services and installations.
“We are committed to supporting the US Army’s climate strategy to foster modernisation and readiness across the force, while seeking out solutions that offer a more secure, sustainable and cleaner future,” Tom Jarvi, Lockheed Martin GridStar Flow program director added.
“GridStar Flow is designed to meet emerging, long-duration energy storage needs and bolster the necessary grid resilience to combat 21st century security challenges.”
With the cooperation of ERDC-CERL and the US Army, Lockheed Martin plans to commence development of the GridStar Flow project later this year.
[Related: Lockheed Martin delivers first tranche of Sentinel A4 radars]
