IHI Terrasun Solutions recently partnered with GlidePath Power Solutions LLC to begin construction on a 50 MW (AC) Byrd Ranch Storage Project in Sweeny, Texas. The storage project is intended to support the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), by providing backup power especially in periods of grid stress and also prevent occurrences of massive blackouts in Texas due to harsh weather conditions. AI-driven algorithms would be used to enhance power delivery and reliability to match the requirements and opportunities in the existing ERCOT market.
GlidePath recently announced that it has concluded on the design, equipment procurement and funding for the Byrd Ranch Storage Project and construction is now in progress, with a completion date set for summer of this year. According to the company, the design plans for the project addressed the issues of minimizing the sound and visual effects on the environment; the identification and protection of sensitive animal species and their local habitat; and also securing the facility from extreme weather conditions, such as the severe flooding event which occurred during Hurricane Harvey.
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The Byrd Ranch Storage Project is being developed on a 2.5 acre-site, located about 60 miles southward of Houston and the project will make use of the most recent cutting-edge battery storage technology, with control and safety systems in place to ensure that it performs reliably when the community is in dire need of it. According to the CEO of GlidePath, Chris McKissack the company is pleased to break ground on its latest development which is focused on solving the current grid reliability issues in Texas. McKissack said the company has a 12 GWh development inventory located across 20 U.S. states and Byrd Ranch is one out of more than 70 innovative standalone storage and solar-plus-storage projects
Byrd Ranch Storage Project to include a 10 year warranty and maintenance services package
The Byrd Ranch Storage Project comes with warranty and maintenance services for a 10 year period and it is expected to generate up to $500,000 annually in form of property taxes, which would go a long way in supporting local schools and services. Jamal Burki, IHI Terrasun Solutions President said his company was looking forward to working with GlidePath and on these ERCOT schemes. Burki said IHI Terrasun would make use of its success in distributed generation applications to provide adaptable technology and a flexible range of solutions for the Byrd Ranch and other utility-scale projects.
