Is Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA) really spending $1,390,000 to install a giant battery that will save one $175 monthly electric bill for one average-sized house? (See: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/?/article_eff7e485-e160-?) Why not buy a $350 clean natural/propane gas generator? Don’t these batteries have dangerous metals and chemicals that hurt the environment? How much will “green” disposal cost? How much energy needed and damage done to mine the metals and manufacture the chemicals? Will dues from IBEW Electrical Workers Union members who do this job be enough to pay big salaries for Union Business Managers/Agents Ed Gant, Roy Foster, and Tim Carew? ?(Note: ?Photo shows how there is not enough wind to move wind-turbines on coldest and hottest days when energy needed most. ? ?ACUA “solution” is to install $1.39 million battery so it can save $175 monthly electric bills during these hit and cold months.
Is Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA) really spending $1,390,000 to avoid a $175 monthly electric bill?
By
Seth Grossman
/ April 13, 2015
ACUA has partnered with Viridity Energy, a Philadelphia based energy management company, to develop this battery storage project. Viridity will operate the battery system, which will have a third party financier. ACUA will be the host of the project, receiving rent and also ancillary services such as power factor correction, which can lower the demand fees on electric bills. The battery will serve in the PJM Grid frequency regulation market program. This program uses energy sources that can be dispatched instantaneously to balance out fluctuations in the supply and demand of the energy grid. This is a critical service to maintain a functioning grid, and large scale batteries are an ideal technology to provide this service. Participants in the frequency regulation program are paid for their services, providing a return on investment for the project?s financier.