NYPA Press Release
NYPA Announces $1 Million in Foundation Funding to Support Innovative U.S.-Israeli Thermal Energy Storage Project
For Immediate Release: 12/15/17
Contact: Lynne Smith | Lynne.Smith@nypa.gov | (914) 681-6916
Project to Increase Energy Efficiency on SUNY Campus and Help Realize Governor Cuomo’s Goal of 40 Percent Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2030
The New York Power Authority (NYPA) announced today a $1 million award from the Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD Energy Program) to support a new U.S.-Israeli partnership to develop and test the use of thermal energy storage with combined heat and power (CHP), a project aimed to increase system energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The innovative new technology, developed through a joint research project with Brenmiller Energy, an Israeli developer and manufacturer of thermal energy storage systems, will help achieve Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s goal of a cleaner and more resilient energy system, and accelerate progress against the Governor’s target of a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, from 1990 levels, by 2030.
“This international collaboration to develop and refine this energy storage innovation will provide mutual benefit to our respective countries and support our energy independence and efficiency goals,” said Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA’s president and CEO. “Leveraging this technology to produce excess electricity and store it for later use will take us another step forward in the pursuit of the next milestone.”
The $1 million in BIRD Energy funding comes from the U.S. Department of Energy, Israel’s Ministry of Energy and the Israel Innovation Authority. The Foundation matches U.S. and Israeli companies and researchers in technology-related work and offers funding for promising projects that have commercialization potential, ability to lead to energy savings, and will significantly impact the environment.
The $1 million will be applied to a $2.5 million energy storage project with a goal to refine the development of Brenmiller’s storage system and integrate it with a combined heat and power system as a solution that would supply electricity and heating to a university in New York. NYPA is considering several potential sites and anticipates installation at one of the State University of New York campuses. The site will be a reference for future potential installations in the U.S. As part of this award, NYPA and Brenmiller Energy will implement a memorandum of understanding and sign a long-term commercial agreement to promote storage-based cogeneration systems. The agreement is expected to be in place by the end of the year.
Brenmiller Energy developed the technology and will provide the technical expertise in adapting the thermal storage and thermal output generation using its experience in the power and renewable industry. NYPA will provide its expertise in power systems and power plant operations and will support refinement and demonstration of the innovative technology
“This cooperation with the largest state-owned electric utility will enable us to introduce our storage technology into the U.S. energy market and play a key role in its growth in the coming years,” said Avi Brenmiller, Brenmiller Energy chairman and CEO, who noted that the company is making its first investment in the U.S. with this project. “We bring a unique thermal technology into this market, which enables flexible operation and is cost-effective and will support New York State’s efforts in meeting its emissions goal.”
The research and development project will investigate thermal energy storage as a means to increase the efficiency of a standard CHP system, which can generate both electricity and useful thermal energy. The residual heat must typically be used when the electricity is produced. This project will refine the technology and demonstrate the ability to store waste heat so it can be used later as needed, thereby improving system efficiency. The key element is a thermal energy storage unit, which integrates a heat exchanger, a thermal storage unit and a steam generator. The system is an alternative to an electric battery, which is expensive and requires disposal.
The energy project was one of five recently announced last month by the U.S. Department of Energy.
About NYPA
NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 70 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. For more information visit www.nypa.gov and follow us on Twitter @NYPAenergy, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and LinkedIn.
About Brenmiller Energy
Brenmiller Energy, based on its unique storage technology, provides sustainable energy solutions to the Distributed Generation market. The company was founded in 2012 by Avi Brenmiller, former CEO of Siemens STE, and a team of experts in the field of renewable energy. Brenmiller Energy’s knowledge and expertise are well-grounded and are based on years of field experience ina designing, building and operating solar power plants in Spain and in US, since the 1980’s, of over 500MW. Brenmiller Energy’s technology was acknowledged as groundbreaking by the Israeli government and the EU, and has received the EU’s seal of excellence under the Horizon 2020 program. For more information visit www.bren-energy.com.