Apr. 24 at 3:55 PM
$FLNC Michigan, utility DTE Electric Co. has plans to build six energy storage systems to complement a 1.4 gigawatt data center for Oracle Corp. Michigan regulators recently approved that project despite a challenge from the state’s attorney general over customer cost concerns.
Fluence Energy Inc., a global energy storage provider, is in talks with large natural gas companies to supply batteries that can help get data centers up and running before turbines arrive, said Chief Customer Officer Jeff Monday.
“We are seeing massive demand coming out of the hyperscalers and data center operators,” Monday said, noting that projects pairing batteries with gas generation are part of the fastest-growing part of the company’s energy storage pipeline.
Coupling batteries with natural gas also promises to extend the life and usefulness of fossil fuel plants. That is setting batteries up for a dual role as an enabler to putting more green energy on the grid and delaying the phase-out of fossil fuels.
