Large lithium batteries next step in SD wind power growth - Mitchell Now

Nov 08, 2024

MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) A pair of projects would bring scores of huge lithium-ion batteries to South Dakota to strengthen the state’s growing wind power industry and stabilize the electrical grid. But some worry the batteries are prone to fire.

Why it’s important: The lithium-ion batteries are the same as those in phones, computers and EV cars and bikes but much larger. Tied together, the batteries can store energy from wind and other sources for use at periods of peak demand, lowering costs for utilities and ratepayers.

Where they’re planned: Two different Florida companies have proposed separate projects, one tied to a wind farm in Codington County northeast of Watertown and another near White in rural Brookings County. At least one homeowner is worried that the batteries would be built too close to his rural homestead.

Driven by advancing technology: Battery energy storage systems are popping up across the U.S. as the efficiency of lithium-ion batteries rises. Some collect and store power specifically from sustainable sources, while others gather energy from any source and keep it at the ready for times of peak usage or in emergencies.

Fire safety improving: Lithium-ion batteries have caught fire on numerous occasions across the U.S. and the world, and in large storage systems, fires can emit toxic gasses and be difficult to extinguish. But energy officials and the federal government said new technologies and regulations have made the batteries much safer, and data shows that incidents of system failures are on the wane.