BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — As Dominion Energy continues to evaluate whether a $2 billion renewable energy project will come to Tazewell County, the company is also partnering with Appalachian Power (AEP) and InvestSWWA to advance energy storage technology in Southwest Virginia.
Dominion and AEP announced the partnership last week, and it also includes also the Appalachian School of Law, Mountain Empire Community College and the Southwest Virginia Energy Research and Development Authority.
“As a leader in renewable energy, we are excited by the opportunity and potential this presents to further diversify our energy mix,” said Chris Beam, Appalachian Power President and Chief Operating Officer. “Last year, Appalachian produced approximately 2,400 gigawatt-hours of energy from wind- and hydro-power and as our investment in renewables grows, so will our need for energy storage.”
“With the greater proliferation of renewables, energy storage expansion will be a vital component in providing stability to our grid and support our customer’s needs,” Ed Baine, President of Dominion Energy Virginia, said in the announcement. “Dominion Energy looks forward to working with our partners to support economic development in Southwest Virginia, which has long served as Virginia’s energy corridor.”
