Innovation in partnership

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Josephine Pepin
  • 28 Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  The Rural Energy Storage Deployment Program finished its final battery by installing and commissioning a battery energy storage system (BESS) in Box Elder, South Dakota, 22 July, 2024.

The project is a backup power source to provide resilience for Ellsworth Air Force Base’s and Rapid City Regional Airport’s grids.

“One of the directives we have is to develop resilient energy to maintain base infrastructure for at least 30 days if not longer,” said Loretta Vega, deputy director of the 28th Mission Support Group. “It’s also a Department of Defense and Air Force directive to build energy redundancy so that if one source goes down, the base can still function and be mission-ready.”

The 277 kilowatt-hour, 13,000-pound lithium-ion battery is a collaborative effort five years in the making with Ellsworth, West River Electric Association (WREA), SAFT/GoElectric, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), Pacific Northwest National Lab, and Sandia National Laboratories using a Department of Energy (DOE) grant. The project also includes a local university, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, which coordinated the final BESS site to accommodate placement challenges in the earlier stages of the project.

“We knew that Ellsworth was growing their mission and there was definitely a need for resilience purposes,” said Lauren Khair, senior director of energy research and resilience business and technology strategies from NRECA. “Since the base is a huge economic driver of this area in terms of jobs and growth, we wanted to be part of that process to strengthen the community.”

The BESS incorporates several innovative technologies, including:
● Anti-explosion measures: If sensors in the battery detect gas or overheating to the point of a fire risk, ventilation doors open to cool the interior.
● A FEND data diode for cybersecurity: This device provides a high assurance of intrusion prevention from outside entities whether in deployed private networks or across the internet.
● Blink-less connection: If main power is lost, the battery instantly provides power, compared to traditional generators that take time to start and require fuel or a supply trail. The capability to keep continuous power is critical in an environment like South Dakota where extreme weather can make it difficult for first-response teams to access infrastructure in emergencies.

According to Khair and other researchers on the project, the BESS is a huge step towards stronger energy access in rural communities. Both Ellsworth and the project’s collaborative partners will use data gleaned from this system, including the Department of Energy, to inform projects for rural communities and other batteries moving forward.

“We hope to use it as a demonstration project,” said Richard Johnson, CEO and manager from West River Electric Association. “We really want the data to start the conversation about weather extremes. Here, temperatures range from over 100 degrees to below zero. With this battery, we're able to watch and see what those weather extremes affect as far as energy degradation and how long it takes to charge the battery back.”

Overall, the success of the project is reflective of the strong ties between Ellsworth and the surrounding community aiming to work together for the greater needs in the area.

“The base doesn’t currently get their main power from West River Electric Association, so this is genuinely a partnership for the best interest of Ellsworth, our military community, and the community at large,” said Vega. “It supports an important asset of ours and provides research into battery technology so that it can be tested and improved over time to get even better with energy storage. That's the heart of any energy research project.”