A company called AYPA Power has a signed a lease option with the city of Brownsville on three acres at the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport for construction of facilities related to battery energy storage and solar photovoltaic electricity generation.
AYPA builds, owns and operates energy storage facilities and micro power grids in North America. In Texas, the company is focusing on stand-alone battery storage systems to ensure a reliable flow of power, according to the city.
John Cowen, city commissioner and chairman of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, said his understanding is that AYPA’s projects will help stabilize power grids by buying energy on the market when it’s priced lowest and then storing it to make available during peak demand. This micro-grid model, if it had existed in the Rio Grande Valley during February’s severe winter weather, could have prevented communities from going dark to some degree, he said.
“I think being the first city in the Valley to have that type of development is exciting, and I think it’ll attract more innovation and more companies will look here at Brownsville to pilot certain programs, and we’re happy to be a part of it,” Cowen said.
As the technology advances over time it will become an increasingly viable option for Brownsville, he said. In addition to helping ensure the flow of power during peak periods or emergencies, the technology could help bring costs down over time, Cowen said, adding that “it’s part of the future” in terms of developing a resilient power infrastructure locally.
The three acres the AYPA facility will be built on is part of airport land the city is now calling an air and space campus, signaling an intention to develop the land around the airport strategically, specifically targeting certain industries, he said.
“That’s the direction the city is going in, trying to be very strategic in how we develop our airport and the available property that the city controls around the airport,” Cowen said. “We’ve made a lot of progress in trying to build a cluster of technology-driven companies in the air and space industries. We want to continue with that and brand our efforts so that we can better market and positions ourselves for future growth.”
He said that a number of related projects are in the pipeline.
“You’ll start to see more momentum over time,” Cowen said. “Money attracts money, right? So as more people invest in those industries in Brownsville, I think you’ll start to see more momentum, and it’s really going to change the way the airport feels and looks and operates in terms of the industrial area around it.”
Helen Ramirez, GBIC executive director and deputy city manager, said she expects energy-storage systems like AYPA’s to play an important role in the delivery of reliable electric service around the state and helping communities like Brownsville build greater grid resiliency.
“We are pleased to move toward a more efficient energy market that supports our long-term sustainable growth plans,” she said.
