AECOM, a Los Angeles-based operational infrastructure firm, has begun construction of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Fort Carson, Colorado, using Lockheed Martin’s GridStar Lithium energy storage system.
The 4.25 MW/8.5 MWh system is designed to reduce Fort Carson’s energy costs while increasing its energy resilience.
When completed, this system will be the largest stand-alone commercially contracted battery at an army base. The BESS will reduce electrical demand during peak intervals, thereby increasing power grid resilience. Since it is an energy saving performance contract, it required no capital expenditure by the Army.
“During project development, our team surveyed the energy storage industry for the optimum solution for Fort Carson,” Annika Moman, senior vice president of AECOM Power and Energy Services Lead, said. “We decided on Lockheed Martin’s GridStar units due to their unique modular architecture allowing for a flexible design and a reduction in operational risk. Our working partnership with Lockheed and Geli was vital to our team and Fort Carson in making this ground-breaking project happen.”
Lockheed Martin’s GridStar Lithium energy storage systems are Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 9540-certified, easy to install, and scalable from 100 kW to multi-MW projects. The GridStar systems are designed for solar-plus-storage, demand charge reduction at commercial industrial and military facilities, and peak load management at utilities.
“Lockheed Martin is pleased to collaborate with AECOM to develop and implement the new military infrastructure that will help Fort Carson increase its resiliency and reduce their electricity costs,” John Battaglini, director with Lockheed Martin Energy, said. “The versatility of energy storage is a key enabler for the military’s aggressive goals of achieving energy resiliency.”