EVLO To Deploy Over 300 MWh in BESS Projects to Virginia
September 9, 2024
EVLO Energy Storage Inc. (EVLO), a fully integrated battery energy storage systems (BESS) provider and wholly owned subsidiary of Hydro-Québec, is pleased to announce the deployment of three EVLOFLEX battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Set to be commissioned in 2025 and 2026, these projects will support the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), the most ambitious clean energy policy in Virginia’s history. The VCEA is positioned to transform the electric grid to 100% clean energy by 2050 and boost investment into clean energy technologies in the fight against climate change.
“EVLO is proud to support Virginia state’s ambitious clean energy goals by leading three important BESS projects on its territory” said Sonia St-Arnaud, president and CEO at EVLO. “As Virginia aims to modernize its clean energy portfolio, battery energy storage systems like the EVLOFLEX are key in ensuring utilities reach their clean energy standards reliably and safely. Virginia is on a path to an affordable and reliable zero-carbon electricity grid by 2050.”
The first utility-grade energy storage solution with a 5 MWh capacity will be utilized at a facility microgrid fueled by solar power and battery storage. The microgrid will be used to study how clean technology can help further advance the grid of the future.
The second project is a standalone storage system that will enhance local grid reliability and contribute to the utility’s 100% clean energy future goal. At 75 MWh, it will be one of Virginia’s largest standalone projects once the commissioning is completed in 2025.
Rounding out the trio of projects is a solar PV project at a major transportation hub that will have an installed capacity of 225 MWh. When it is put into operation 2026, it will be the largest battery energy storage project in Virginia.
EVLO’s BESS systems will ensure grid dependability, securing a steady supply of clean electricity to homes, communities, and businesses while advancing the VCEA. Enacted in 2020, the VCEA establishes clean energy mandates with targets for wind, solar and energy storage. Utility-scale energy storage is an ideal counterpart to wind and solar, as it enhances resiliency by storing excess energy when demand is low and sending it back to the grid when demand peaks.
Fire safety being a top priority for all projects’ stakeholders, EVLO’s solutions take a layered approach to mitigate fire risks by integrating active and passive measures to meet and surpass stringent certification standards. In addition to achieving UL 9540 certification, the leading North American safety standard for grid-connected batteries, EVLO also employs its own Engineering Validation Plan, which tests the entire system in real-life conditions to ensure performance under any circumstance. Moreover, EVLO will incorporate enhanced fire safety features to all three projects in Virginia, as requested by the customers.
