Alliant Energy's new battery storage unit in Portage capable of powering 5,000 homes

Alliant Energy is building a battery storage unit in Portage that will be able to supply power in short stretches to 5,000 homes.  

Battery storage units store energy from the sun as alternating current power for later use. The new 5-megawatt energy storage system in Portage will double Alliant Energy’s Midwest battery storage capacity.  

Alliant, like other utilities, has been piloting advances in battery storage technology. The Portage unit will be Alliant’s fourth in the state and eighth in the Midwest. 

“Battery storage will ensure we continue to deliver safe, clean and reliable energy to our customers as we grow our renewable energy portfolio,” said David de Leon, president of Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin energy company. 

The new battery storage system will be adjacent to Alliant Energy’s substation in Portage. The battery system is able to store enough energy to fully charge more than 800,000 smart phones.  

“As technologies improve, we are excited about the potential for battery storage solutions to deliver enhanced efficiency, reliability and affordability for our electric customers,” de Leon said. “These smart investments in innovative energy solutions are transforming our energy grid and create countless new opportunities for the customers and communities we serve.” 

Gov. Tony Evers created the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy in 2019 and set the goal to eliminate the use of carbon-based fuel in Wisconsin by 2050.     

A recent study by the Midwest Economic Policy Institute and the Fiscal and Economic Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, found that if the state meets that goal, it could grow Wisconsin’s economy by $21 billion and create more than 34,000 jobs.  

Fossil fuel energy currently accounts for 72% of Wisconsin’s utility-scale net electricity generation, while zero-carbon and renewable sources account for 28% of utility-scale electricity generated in Wisconsin. That compares with 67% in Illinois, 61% in Iowa, and 53% in Minnesota.  

Corrinne Hess can be reached at chess@gannett.com. Follow her @corrihess