Demonstrating an Aqueous Air-Breathing Energy Storage System for Multi-Day Resiliency
Summary
SCH Number
2020070071
Public Agency
California Energy Commission
Document Title
Demonstrating an Aqueous Air-Breathing Energy Storage System for Multi-Day Resiliency
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/2/2020
Document Description
Under grant Agreement EPC-19-041, the California Energy Commission will provide a grant of $1,998,215 to Form Energy, Inc. for the advanced development of an aqueous, air-breathing, battery energy storage system. The project will result in the grant recipient’s first fielded demonstration and independent measurement and verification of a 10 kW / 1,000 kWh (100-hour) prototype energy storage system operating under relevant customer use conditions.
The project consists of design, manufacturing, installation, and data collection. Activities will include laboratory evaluation to provide data about the optimal use of multi-day battery energy storage; manufacturing at Form Energy’s existing laboratory; and a pilot-test at the University of California, Irvine Campus, Grid Evolution Laboratory.
Beneficiaries will include customers who eventually may buy electricity storage devices using this technology; California’s electric utilities and their customers (i.e., ratepayers); along with the public at large and the environment. This project should result in ratepayer benefits of lower cost, increased safety, increased reliability and resiliency, and lower greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants.
Contact Information
Name
Joseph Sit
Agency Name
California Energy Commission
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Agency Name
Form Energy, Inc.
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Location
Cities
Irvine, San Francisco
Counties
Orange, San Francisco
Other Location Info
Lab work: Form Energy HQ located in San Francisco
Pilot-test site: UCI Engineering Laboratory Facility located northwest of the Engineering Service Road/East Peltason Drive intersection
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs., titl. 14, § 15301; Cal. Code Regs., titl. 14, § 15306
Reasons for Exemption
The project involves design, further development, manufacturing, and testing of an aqueous, air-breathing, battery energy storage system. The development and manufacturing will take place at an existing laboratory operated by Form Energy. The pilot-testing will be performed at existing laboratories at the University of California, Irvine Campus. (Testing will also take place in New York.) The project consists of the operation of these existing public or private facilities, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. Therefore, this project is exempt under California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15301, Existing Facilities. In addition, the project involves data collection and research, which would not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. Therefore, this project is exempt under California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15306, Information Collection. The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the Irvine Campus (UC Irvine) is the Lead Agency under CEQA for the pilot test site. UC Irvine prepared a Notice of Exemption for its portion of the project on May 19, 2020, on the basis of the same two CEQA exemptions cited above.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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