Duke Energy intends to match a US$ 22 million grant from the US Department of Energy to design, build and install large-scale batteries to store wind energy at one of its wind farms in Texas.

The batteries at Duke Energy’s Notrees Windpower Project in Ector and Winkler counties, Texas, will store excess wind energy and discharge it whenever demand for electricity is highest. The total value of the 20MW energy storage project at Duke Energy’s Notrees site is US$ 43.6 million. The DOE grant was made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Duke Energy and DOE must negotiate the terms and conditions of the grant before any funds are released.