CONNEXUS ENERGY’S 10 MW SOLAR + 15 MW STORAGE PROJECT
Connexus Energy’s innovative solar-plus-storage project is now fully operational. Construction at the Ramsey and Athens Township sites began last summer, and by late December, both sites were up and running. The project is one of the first in the country to use batteries integrated with a solar array to align the energy delivery to when it is most valuable. The two sites add 10 megawatts of renewables to Connexus’ energy mix with 15 megawatts of battery storage.
Most solar energy is produced when there is lower demand and the price is lower. Connexus is using the batteries to time shift the solar delivery to align with system peaks that typically occur as the sun is setting or has already set. The plan is to discharge the stored energy a couple of times per month.
ENGIE North America (formerly SoCore Energy) is handling the solar portion for Connexus, and NextEra Energy Resources, the battery storage.
Connexus Energy is the largest member-owned utility in Minnesota providing electricity and related products and services to approximately 135,000 homes and businesses in portions of Anoka, Chisago, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Sherburne, and Washington counties. Additional information about Connexus Energy is available online at connexusenergy.com.
About the Speaker:
Brian Burandt
Vice President of Power Supply and Business Development
Brian Burandt is Vice President of Power Supply and Business Development for Connexus® Energy and has more than 20 years of utility experience. Connexus Energy is the largest customer-owned utility in Minnesota, providing electricity and related products and services to approximately 132,000 homes and businesses in portions of 7 different counties.
Burandt is accountable for Connexus Energy’s power supply, including distributed generation, and that it meets the current and evolving needs of the membership. He leads business development, which includes research, strategy, product, and service or venture development of core-related initiatives that benefit the membership.
Brian has held multiple positions at Connexus Energy over 18 years. Most recently, he was Connexus Energy’s manager of business and community relations, responsible for energy efficiency, demand response, and economic development. In between his positions at Connexus Energy, Burandt was a senior rate and financial analyst for Power System Engineering, Inc., performing rate studies and filings for utilities mostly in the Midwest.
Burandt has a Master in Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas and a Bachelor of Science in Energy Management from Moorhead State University.