Aug 02, 2006
Beacon Power Corporation (NASDAQ: BCON), a company that
designs and develops advanced products and services to support
more stable and reliable electricity grid operation, announced
that the California Energy Commission, in partnership with the
U.S. Department of Energy and the California Independent System
Operator (ISO), has begun the formal field trial testing of
Beacon's flywheel-based frequency regulation system. The
scale-power Smart Energy Matrix demonstration system, located at
a Pacific Gas & Electric substation in San Ramon,
California, will be extensively tested in the coming months as
part of its qualification process. The field trial is the final
stage of evaluation and is expected to be completed before the
end of 2006.
"This is the next major step in demonstrating that
Beacon flywheel technology is ideally suited to provide
frequency regulation on the grid," said Bill Capp, Beacon
president and CEO. "As with our other system now undergoing
formal field testing in New York, this Smart Energy Matrix is
expected to show that Beacon's clean and efficient energy
storage systems can meet grid operator requirements responsively
and cost-effectively. With preliminary testing in California now
complete and several system improvements and upgrades in place,
we believe we are well prepared for the field trial that will
now take place."
"California's energy challenges are serious and
immediate," added Capp. "If full-power Beacon Smart
Energy Matrix frequency regulation plants were to be built in
California, in addition to providing frequency regulation
services, they would free up valuable existing generation
assets. These generators could then be used to deliver base-load
power to help meet the state's growing need. Our goal in this
formal field trial process is to obtain acceptance of our
technology by the Energy Commission and the California ISO, so
that we are in a position to deploy frequency regulation power
plants here on a commercial scale."
The Company has announced plans to build megawatt-scale
flywheel-based frequency regulation plants around the U.S. and
to own and operate them on an independent merchant basis, or in
conjunction with partners. In 2005, the value of frequency
regulation services in the open and accessible U.S. markets was
more than $600 million.
About Beacon Power
Beacon Power Corporation designs and develops advanced
products and services to support stable, reliable and efficient
electricity grid operation. The Company's primary business
strategy is to commercialize its patented flywheel energy
storage technology to perform frequency regulation services on
the grid. Beacon's Smart Energy Matrix, now being demonstrated
on a scale-power level in two states, is a prototype for a
non-polluting, megawatt-level, utility-grade flywheel-based
solution that would provide sustainable frequency regulation
services. Beacon is a publicly traded company with its research,
development and manufacturing facility in the U.S. For more
information, visit www.beaconpower.com.
