Aligned Data Centers has partnered with Calibrant Energy, an energy storage developer, to deploy a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at one of its data centers in the Pacific Northwest of the US.

Under the terms of the agreement, Calibrant will deliver a 31MW/62MWh BESS system to the undisclosed data center campus. The system, which will be installed onsite, is planned for operations in 2026. According to the companies, the deployment will enable the facility to come online and scale operations much faster than would be possible through traditional utility upgrades.

“This project flips the script on how data centers access power,” said Phil Martin, CEO at Calibrant. “Instead of waiting years for substation and transmission line upgrades, fossil-based generators, or going off grid entirely, we’re working with leading data center providers like Aligned and engaged and forward-thinking utilities to use distributed energy solutions to meet their growth objectives.”

The partners claim that the deployment is the first instance of a BESS system being purpose-built to accelerate the interconnection of a large-scale data center. The BESS will be developed using Calibrant’s Path to Power solution. The solution enables the BESS to function as a grid-responsive asset, discharging during peak demand to bolster grid reliability and ensure uninterrupted service for the data center operators' customers.

The companies have partnered with an undisclosed regional utility within the Pacific Northwest to support the deployment and explore flexibility as a means to increase and accelerate interconnection.

Aligned has a data center campus in development outside Portland, Oregon, in Hillsboro, which the company's website says will include a BESS deployment.

Aligned first announced plans for a 27-acre, 108MW Oregon campus in January 2023. The company broke ground on the site the same year and topped out the first building last year. Located at NE 30th Ave. & NE Evergreen Rd, the initial data center (known as PDX-01) at Aligned’s Hillsboro campus is expected to offer 72MW of critical capacity. The second building (PDX-02) is currently planned for 36MW.

“This strategic project redefines how we grow in power-constrained markets,” said Andrew Schaap, CEO at Aligned. “With this BESS, we’re converting our load from a potential grid liability into a dynamic grid asset, providing the regional utility with the tools needed to accelerate our ramp. And we’re doing it responsibly, without impacting ratepayers.”

The partners have indicated that they are considering similar projects across other markets.

Backed by Macquarie Asset Management, Calibrant is one of the most prominent players within the US energy storage industry. According to its website, it has approximately 600MW/1,100MWh of onsite solar and storage in operation, construction, or development across the US and Canada.

In August, the company energized three front-of-the-meter BESS in New York in collaboration with CoreSite. The BESS will provide 13.5MW, or 55.7MWh, of dispatchable capacity to the Con Edison grid in New York. It will be used by CoreSite and a leading hospital institution via Value of Distributed Energy Resources credits.

Aligned is based in Texas and has data center campuses across the US, including Hillsboro, Oregon; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Phoenix, Arizona; and Northern Virginia. The company has further sites in development in Maryland, Ohio, Illinois, and Virginia, as well as across Latin America. In total, its active and planned capacity is 5GW.

Earlier this month, the company was formally acquired by BlackRock and MGX in a deal worth $40 billion, the biggest ever acquisition in the digital infrastructure space.