A data center in the Pacific Northwest will come online years earlier than expected due to the deployment of a 62 MWh battery energy storage system on campus, meaning the data center won’t have to wait for the local utility to update its own charging service to meet power needs.
Calibrating energy will deliver a BESS of 31 MW/62 MWh Aligned data centers’ Pacific Northwest data center campus, which will bring the battery online in 2026 and allow the facility to scale operations sooner than would be possible with traditional utility upgrades.
Calibrant and Aligned have been working with a regional utility in the Pacific Northwest since the beginning of negotiations to explore flexibility as a means to increase and accelerate interconnection. Aligned’s adaptive data center solutions support customers’ most demanding cloud, AI, high-performance compute (HPC) and enterprise workloads.
“This project flips the script on how data centers access power,” said Phil Martin, CEO of Calibrant. “Rather than face the false choice between waiting years for system upgrades or having to go completely off-grid, we are partnering with leading data center providers like Aligned to use distributed energy solutions to facilitate and accelerate grid interconnection. This innovative model allows large power users to take control of their energy future while being stewards of their communities – improving the growth objectives are achieved in a way that supports network reliability, has minimal environmental impact and does not burden others with costs.”
This will likely be the first time in the United States that a battery system has been purpose-built to accelerate interconnection and bring a large-scale data center online. Developed using Calibrant’s Path to Power solution – a replicable, scalable approach that leverages on-site energy to overcome location and capacity bottlenecks – the system functions as a network-responsive asset, designed to offload during peak demand, strengthen network reliability and ensure uninterrupted service for Aligned’s customers.
Although the name of the battery supplier was not revealed, Calibrant and Aligned stated that they had sourced equipment from US supply chains. The major equipment, including transformers, switchgear and batteries, was all manufactured and/or assembled in the United States.
“This strategic project redefines how we grow in energy-constrained markets,” said Andrew Schaap, CEO of Aligned. “With this BESS, we are transforming our load from a potential grid liability to a dynamic grid asset, giving the regional utility the tools needed to accelerate our ramp. And we are doing it responsibly, without impact to ratepayers. We are proud to partner with Calibrant on a new market-defining initiative that directly addresses the industry’s critical limitation of access to grid power. Their experience serving major power users and critical facilities has played a major role in our ability to act quickly. and efficient.”
News item from Aligned
