Energy storage deployments continue to rise at cooperatives as hardware prices fall. Reducing peak demand, also known as peak shaving, is one of the most popular uses for energy storage and has the potential to significantly reduce demand costs for cooperative members. To fully realize the potential of energy storage, an accurate forecast of future load is needed to determine the best time to charge and discharge the storage. This Surveillance article explains how NRECA has worked with its members to develop a load forecasting application, “CoopForecast," which has been successfully deployed by Burt County Public Power District in Nebraska to predict its day-ahead load for insights into how best to control its 6 MWh storage system.
