New mobile lithium-ion batteries for utility-scale market

US-based NOMAD, a newcomer to the battery scene, recently unveiled a portfolio of utility-scale transportable battery energy storage solutions. Its plug-and-play solution combines a fully enclosed trailer chassis with high-density lithium-ion battery cells and a proprietary docking system. There are three versions of the system: a 1 MW/ 2 MWh unit called “The Traveler,” a 500 kW/1.3 MWh unit called “The Voyager,” and a 250 kW/ 660 kWh unit called “The Rover.”

The mobile units – when paired with the company's patent-pending PowerDock  system for easy connection/ disconnection, setup, upkeep, and secure system control – allow the fleet to arrive on-site in a completely weather-tight enclosure, with all wires contained within its unique interconnection system. All NOMAD systems also share a common interconnection design, allowing a single unit platform to be expanded with more PowerDocks. Each version uses lithium-ion cells made by KORE Power.

NOMAD units are said to combine the benefits of a fixed-site energy storage system that can be relocated, “enabling a single unit to serve multiple locations for seasonal, intermittent (outages) or temporary use (capital deferral), increasing asset utilization versus a fixed asset.”

The units have a range of use cases, including power backup and emergency response and seasonal load mitigation. The company says customers well suited to the technology include utilities, C&I entities, disaster relief organizations, and renewable generation assets.

NOMAD has also revealed that it has sold “the industry’s first mobile energy storage unit with 2 MWh capacity” to Vermont-based utility Green Mountain Power (GMP). Mari McClure, the CEO of GMP, said The Traveler offers a range of applications and provides another important innovation to join GMP's storage fleet, increasing resilience and reliability while lowering costs for customers.