Duke Energy launches 'Bring Your Own Battery' study to test potential improvement of energy resiliency in Florida

- Company conducts innovative home battery study for Florida customers.

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Jan 20, 2022, 14:32 ET

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Jan. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy Florida has launched an innovative "Bring Your Own Battery" (BYOB) study to test potential enhancements to the energy grid and support the growth of renewable energy in the Sunshine State.

The purpose of the study is to learn more about customer use of battery technology and explore opportunities to leverage existing battery energy storage systems to improve grid resiliency.

Participants are Duke Energy Florida customers who currently have batteries installed in their homes to provide backup power in case of an outage.

The 12-month study will enable Duke Energy to call on these devices to support the grid during times of peak demand with the expectation of reducing energy costs for participants and ultimately giving customers the opportunity to participate directly in the company's transition to a cleaner energy future.

"Batteries are an exciting technology that will play a significant and evolving role in how energy is delivered to customers now and in the future," said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. "With the introduction of studies like BYOB, we are developing ways to provide even greater value to our customers while improving energy resiliency and advancing solar technologies in Florida."

Duke Energy is working with vendors including Sunrun Inc., Generac, SolarEdge and Virtual Peaker to offer existing battery customers in Florida the opportunity to participate in the BYOB battery study.

"We want to provide innovative solutions that increase grid resilience and expand home backup power options," said Mary Powell, Sunrun chief executive officer. "Sunrun's partnership with Duke Energy will provide affordable, clean, backup power solutions for households in Florida, while also supporting grid reliability at the community level. This study is an example of how collaboration can accelerate the transition to a clean energy future."

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns a diverse generation mix of natural gas, coal and renewables, providing about 10,200 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.9 million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 7.9 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 51,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,500 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy strategy to create a smarter energy future for its customers and communities – with goals of at least a 50% carbon reduction by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The company is a top U.S. renewable energy provider, on track to own or purchase 16,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2025. The company also is investing in major electric grid upgrades and expanded battery storage, and exploring zero-emitting power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2021 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "America's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

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SOURCE Duke Energy