Eolian has begun construction on the Flint Grid battery energy storage project in Jersey Township, Licking County, Ohio, a 200-megawatt system with more than five hours of storage duration, totaling 1.06 gigawatt-hours of capacity.

The company describes the project as the largest battery energy storage system built to date in both Ohio and the broader PJM interconnection footprint, and it has positioned the facility to serve one of the fastest-growing data center and industrial corridors in the United States.

A Record-Setting Project in a Critical Location

The Flint Grid project sits adjacent to the New Albany data center and industrial load cluster near Columbus, Ohio, a region that has emerged as a focal point for artificial intelligence infrastructure development.

According to Eolian, the project is the first large-scale battery energy storage system to qualify for the PJM capacity market and the largest battery storage system to clear the 2027/28 Residual Capacity Auction. The company says Flint Grid represented more than 50 percent of all new battery storage capacity in that particular capacity year.

The project also carries a regulatory distinction. Eolian states that Flint Grid is the first grid-scale battery energy storage system to be permitted by the Ohio Power Siting Board, a milestone the company says establishes an important precedent for future energy storage development across the state.

Eolian expects the facility to enter commercial operation in advance of the 2027 to 2028 PJM capacity year.

Years of Investment Ahead of Demand Forecasts

Aaron Zubaty, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eolian, said the project reflects investment decisions made well before current electricity demand projections became widely recognized.

"This project requires hundreds of millions of dollars to construct, and we committed the necessary capital and resources years before today's demand forecasts became headline news," Zubaty said.

Zubaty argued that public discourse around scaling electricity infrastructure has focused too narrowly on adding new generation capacity while underweighting the role that existing grid infrastructure can play when unlocked through flexible storage resources.

"There's growing consternation about how the US can rapidly scale infrastructure to support America's growing electricity demand, but not nearly enough conversation about how to use existing technology to unlock the wasted capacity that already exists on the grid," he said.

He also directed comments at policymakers, warning against changes to competitive electricity markets that could disrupt long-term investments already underway.

"As policymakers consider changes to competitive electricity markets, it's critical that they avoid undermining the long-term investments already underway that will make better use of existing transmission infrastructure and that create a bridge to further long-term supply expansion," Zubaty said.

How Battery Storage Functions in the Grid

Eolian describes battery energy storage as a complement to traditional grid infrastructure rather than a replacement for it. The company says the technology provides flexible capacity that can respond in milliseconds to stabilize and back up the grid during high-risk events, while also optimizing the matching of power supply and demand across all hours of the day throughout the year.

The 5.3-hour duration rating of the Flint Grid system means the facility can discharge its full 200 megawatts of output for more than five hours before exhausting its stored energy, a capability Eolian says is essential for providing meaningful capacity support rather than short bursts of power.

Policy and Market Integration Work

Beyond the physical construction of the Flint Grid facility, Eolian says it is actively engaged with grid operators, regulators, and industry stakeholders on a range of research and policy initiatives tied to battery energy storage integration into wholesale electricity markets.

The company says this work includes developing technical frameworks for optimal bidding protocols, new market products for energy storage participation, an effective load-carrying capability accreditation methodology, and revenue optimization across multiple wholesale market segments.

Eolian also says it is advancing the concept that strategically located battery storage projects can actually increase transmission capacity in constrained locations where load demands are growing.

This argument is directly relevant to the New Albany corridor, where expanding data center buildout is placing increasing pressure on existing grid infrastructure.

Company Background and Ownership

Eolian describes itself as operating a growing portfolio of battery energy storage projects while also developing and investing in clean energy and co-located large load projects across the United States.

The company says its founding management has worked together for over 20 years, building assets that have directly funded the development of nearly 30 gigawatts of operating or under-construction energy storage, solar, and wind-generating capacity across the country.

Eolian is owned by its employees and by funds managed by Global Infrastructure Partners, which the company identifies as a BlackRock company and a leading global infrastructure investor.

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