South Dakota-based POET has partnered with California's Antora Energy to launch one of the world's largest thermal energy storage systems in Big Stone City. The 5 gigawatt-hour facility will store excess wind energy in carbon blocks for later use, reducing waste and boosting efficiency at POET's ethanol plant.
The system absorbs low-cost, off-peak wind power that would otherwise be lost due to grid constraints, heating carbon blocks to 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The stored heat is transferred via oil to produce steam for ethanol production, cutting fossil fuel reliance and lowering consumer costs.
Jeff Lautt, POET's president, said the project captures wind energy that 'doesn't have a home on the grid.' Andrew Ponec, Antora's CEO, noted the site was chosen for its existing energy infrastructure and location on the MISO power grid. The project has created 300 construction jobs and will generate permanent positions in the area.
The facility, Antora's first commercial deployment, has attracted hundreds of millions in private investment led by Grok Ventures. It has received bipartisan political support, including from South Dakota's congressional delegation and Governor Larry Rhoden.
