ESS Tech Inc. joins Project New Horizon LDES efforts
Long-duration energy storage (LDES) system manufacturer ESS Tech Inc. has announced what it calls “a collaboration framework” with Salt River Project (SRP) and Google, to provide LDES solutions for a pilot program known as Project New Horizon.
Located in Florence, Arizona, Project New Horizon is part of SRP’s Copper Crossing project, and is set to provide 5 MW (or 50 MWh) to the Grand Canyon State’s energy grid. The project will deploy ESS Tech’s iron flow utility-scale Energy Base storage technology, and “represents a significant commercial validation milestone” for the company’s tech, platform, and products.
This pilot version of the program is expected to support SRP’s current evaluation of non-lithium LDES solutions, ESS Tech says. If successful, the pilot could help to unlock further opportunities for the company as it looks to expand commercially.
“This phase of Project New Horizon represents an important commercial validation of Energy Base and a clear signal that utilities are actively pursuing scalable, non-lithium long-duration storage as part of long-term resource planning,” says Drew Buckley, CEO of ESS Tech. “The collaboration with SRP, along with Google’s participation and cost sharing, reinforces the relevance of long-duration storage for grid reliability and for large energy users focused on carbon-free energy. Successful execution can serve as a blueprint for broader deployments and meaningful follow-on opportunities.”
Scaling long-duration energy storage solutions
ESS Tech’s Energy Base technology is designed for scalability to utility-scale solutions, and enables “flexible configuration across diverse use cases.” This practice differentiates the technology from other LDES solutions, the company says, and is expected to deliver cost-efficiency perks as it scales to larger projects.
As part of the program, SRP is set to partner with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) in order to support product testing, company representatives say.
“Project New Horizon is part of SRP’s effort to evaluate the impact of long-duration energy storage technologies that could ultimately support SRP’s mission of providing reliable, affordable and sustainable power,” says Chico Hunter, manager of innovation and development at SRP. “We look forward to working with ESS, Google, and EPRI to assess performance in real-world conditions and advance our understanding of how long-duration storage can serve future system needs.”
Google is already a participant in a variety of energy storage projects, including the Copper Crossing energy storage center. The tech giant is funding a portion of the project’s payments through an existing cost sharing arrangement with the company.
The collaboration between Google and SRP is intended to test the real-world efficacy of non-lithium LDES solutions, the companies say, and “generate learnings relevant to grid reliability, renewable integration, and broader LDES deployment pathways.”
“Long-duration energy storage is needed to improve grid resilience and unlock around-the-clock clean energy,” says Lucia Tian, head of advanced energy technologies at Google. “This collaboration with SRP is intended to accelerate learning and innovation from real-world deployments of a portfolio of emerging long-duration energy storage technologies, including this first pilot with ESS. We’re excited to work with a utility partner who shares our commitment to supporting a range of technologies and diverse supply chains that can bring reliable, affordable, and clean energy to Arizona and across the United States.”
Manufacturing is set to begin on Project New Horizon’s LDES pilot program sometime this year, with full delivery expected by the end of 2027, according to ESS Tech officials. Design on the product’s infrastructure is already underway.
