We’re building the Golden Plains battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Golden Plains Wind Farm in Kossuth County, Iowa. It can store an additional 75 megawatts, enough to power 80,000 homes for four hours. We expect the Golden Plains BESS to be operational by December 2026.
How does battery storage work?
Battery storage systems typically charge from the grid when demand is low or directly from renewable resources, usually solar, when generation is abundant. They release this energy when demand increases, such as on hot summer or cold winter days.
The ability to capture energy and release it when it's needed improves the overall efficiency of energy sources, increases system resiliency and help support a balanced generation mix. This improved flexibility avoids customer costs that would typically be required to replace existing equipment or construct additional generation resources to meet growing energy needs.
