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Lessons from Iowa: Development of a 270 Megawatt Compressed Air Energy Storage Project in Midwest Independent System Operator

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1035330· OSTI ID:1035330
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Schulte Associates LLC, Northfield, MN (United States)
  2. Iowa Stored Energy Plant Agency, Traer, IA (United States)
  3. Critelli Law Office PC, Des Moines, IA (United States)
  4. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
The Iowa Stored Energy Park was an innovative, 270 Megawatt, $400 million compressed air energy storage (CAES) project proposed for in-service near Des Moines, Iowa, in 2015. After eight years in development the project was terminated because of site geological limitations. However, much was learned in the development process regarding what it takes to do a utility-scale, bulk energy storage facility and coordinate it with regional renewable wind energy resources in an Independent System Operator (ISO) marketplace. Lessons include the costs and long-term economics of a CAES facility compared to conventional natural gas-fired generation alternatives; market, legislative, and contract issues related to enabling energy storage in an ISO market; the importance of due diligence in project management; and community relations and marketing for siting of large energy projects. Although many of the lessons relate to CAES applications in particular, most of the lessons learned are independent of site location or geology, or even the particular energy storage technology involved.
Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Electricity (OE); Iowa Stored Energy Plant Agency (ISEPA); Iowa Power Fund
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
1035330
Report Number(s):
SAND--2012-0388
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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