Zinc-chloride battery systems for electric-utility energy storage

Zinc-chloride batteries have been under development for the past 13 years at Energy Development Associates (EDA). With the sponsorship of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the research and development of this technology for electric-utility energy storage culminated in the installation of a 500-kWh system at the Battery Energy Storage Test (BEST) Facility in Hillsborough, New Jersey, during September 1983. Presently, EDA is engaged in a demonstration program, which targets the installation of six 2-MW FLEXPOWER Systems in selected utilities. The description, operation, and electrical characteristics of the system are discussed and the commercialization strategy is briefly described.