Energy Storage North America (ESNA), the largest gathering of policy, technology and market leaders in energy storage, announced the finalists for the 2016 ESNA Innovation Awards, which recognize excellence and impact in energy storage project development. All finalists will be honored during an award ceremony at the annual Energy Storage North America conference and expo, held on October 4-6 in the San Diego Convention Center. Additionally, ESNA will present the Utility and Policy Champion Awards to one individual each from the policy and utility sectors who have shown leadership and dedication in advancing energy storage in North America.

The nine Innovation Award project finalists demonstrate outstanding achievements across three categories: Centralized Storage (utility-scale), Distributed Storage (commercial, industrial or residential) and Mobility (transportation, electric vehicles and enabling infrastructure). Finalists were selected on the basis of their impact on the energy storage ecosystem, services supplied to customers and the grid, unique technology solutions, financing, or partnerships.

ESNA 2016 Innovation Award Finalists

Centralized Energy Storage

• IPL Advancion Energy Storage Array (Indiana): First grid-scale, battery-based energy storage system to operate in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator.
• MESA 1 Project: Allows Snohomish (Washington) County Public Utility District to increase their use of renewable energy and improve overall reliability while using open, non-proprietary industry standards. 
• The Village of Minster (Ohio) Energy Storage Project: One of the largest storage systems connected through a municipal utility, providing multiple revenue streams including frequency regulation, transmission and distribution deferral, and demand response. 

Distributed Energy Storage

• Stone Edge Farm Microgrid (California): First of its kind to incorporate three modes of operation - on-grid, off-grid, and microgrid - with multiple types and brands of batteries and inverters, PV, bulk hydrogen storage, fuel cells and ability to export power.
• PowerHouse - 20-home energy storage pilot (Ontario): Canada's first virtual power plant, uses an aggregated fleet of autonomously controlled residential solar and energy storage systems located at customer homes. 
• Rocky Mountain Institute Innovation Center (Colorado): PV plus energy storage system engineered and controlled such that the asset is used to manage the Center's electric bill.

Mobility  

• UC San Diego EV Smart Charging with Energy Storage (California): Solar PV coupled with energy storage that allows the campus to reduce demand charges, while utilizing renewable energy.
• eMotorWerks EV Charging Network (California): Intelligent charging stations controlled via a cloud-based, self-learning platform, that can provide demand curtailment solutions to utilities.
• EV4 Santa Clara Intel Station (California): Solar-powered, battery-based DC fast charging system in Silicon Valley.

Public voting will determine winners

Winners for each category will be determined by the ESNA Advisory Board (50%) as well as public voting (50%). One vote per user will count toward the final results and votes will be accepted until September 20. Visit the ESNA awards website to learn more about the projects and how to cast your vote.

Energy Storage North America | www.esnaexpo.com