Friday, August 12, 2011

ZBB to Provide Energy Storage for US Navy Micro-Grid Project

ZBB Energy Corporation (NYSE Amex: ZBB)was awarded a contract from the US Navy Fleet and Industrial Supply Center, San Diego (FISCSD). ZBB will provide a 1000kWH/500kW-rated energy storage system for use in a micro-grid application at the San Nicolas Island Naval Facility, located in the Catalina Island group just west of Los Angeles (see illustration). The system will utilize ZBB's newly branded EnerSystem technologies, comprised of ZBB's Power & Energy Control Center (PECC) and Version 3 zinc bromide flow battery modules.


The contract is for the supply of equipment and services for work supported by the Office of Naval Research-Technology Insertion Program for Savings (ONR-TIPS) with the purpose of accelerated transition of new technology. During the next two years, the EnerSystem will be tested and certified to maintain power quality and perform load management for off peak produced power of the wind turbines and diesel electric power plant power delivery system at NOLF-SNI. The certifying body is Idaho National Laboratories. This will be the first time that an advanced energy storage system is tested with large-scale renewable sources, in conjunction with actual load management and generator plant control schemes in a micro-grid application in North America. Successful tests and certification will make available transition of this technology to more wide spread Navy use.

The ZBB EnerSystem will be used continuously in an ongoing operational mode to minimize diesel gen set runtime in conjunction with wind turbines and future PV arrays on the island. The base's overall system will focus on the power control for micro-grid stability, quality, and load leveling needs on the base.

ZBB's power electronics (PECC) will be used to interconnect the flow battery modules and future renewable inputs to the existing base micro-grid and recently installed wind turbines. ZBB will work closely with the Navy in Port Hueneme, CA and the project's design and installation civilian contractor to define operational standards for advanced energy storage systems on micro-grids such as this project and for use at future naval facilities.

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