Christian Peterson: reporter.riverbendnews@gmail.com
Duke Energy and Suwannee County have been working together for over 70 years. In fact, Duke first established its energy plant in 1953. This is why Tuesday, May 20, was a big day for the two organizations.
A large crowd gathered at Duke's Suwannee County plant, which was packed with Suwannee County leaders, Duke Energy employees, Live Oak leaders, and community leaders. They all gathered for the ribbon cutting and unveiling of the Suwannee Long-Duration Battery Storage Plant. This new battery system is Duke's first non-lithium storage system. The experiment is focused on providing more power to those in need, especially in the case of an emergency, such as a hurricane.
Jay Oliver, the Managing Director of Energy Storage and Grid Development at Duke Energy, spoke about the value of batteries. He talked about how we use batteries every day without even noticing. He spoke on how rare lithium is and how, while it is effective, it isn't the most effective option; the new sodium-sulfur batteries are a step in the right direction. The previous batteries were only able to store enough power for four hours, but the new ones will provide up to five megawatts of power for up to eight hours, a considerable increase. This project has been in the works for a decade, as the company has done all it can to find more effective, safe and clean energy to provide the people of Florida. "Our customers deserve a smarter, more reliable energy future," Oliver said.
Commissioner Franklin White was at the event as well and stood up to speak on behalf of the county. He talked about the damage that Suwannee County has felt over the last two years, specifically from the hurricanes, and stated the storage system will help the county be even more prepared. "We know first-hand how critical it is to have a reliable energy system in our county. This long-duration battery system is a direct answer to that challenge," White said.
Both the county and Duke Energy spoke highly of each other, stating this project would be impossible without the partnership. After listening to all the highlights of the new system, the crowd made their way over to the storage plant for a photo opportunity, letting White and Duke Energy's Duke Collins cut the ribbon in front of the crowd. "Today, we're one step closer to the future," White said.