August 2022
Member Spotlight
Throughout 2022, SECC will recognize one member every month, providing an organizational profile and highlighting the member's accomplishments in the smart energy space.
About Middle Tennessee Electric
Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) is the largest member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) region and the second largest in the country, serving more than 750,000 Tennesseans and covering nearly 2,200 square miles across Middle Tennessee. MTE has active projects in microgrids, solar, energy storage, electric vehicles (EVs) and expanding broadband access. The organization’s 2021 JD power ranking places it in the top 15 percent nationally among all measured utilities.
Nissan Second-Life Battery Storage Project
MTE, Nissan, the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute, Tennessee State University and the Seven States Power Corporation have partnered on a second-life battery storage project.
Disposing of old EV batteries can pose significant logistical and environmental challenges. This pilot project aims to reduce those challenges by repurposing used EV batteries to increase the reliability of the electric grid. Used batteries from Nissan’s all-electric LEAF will be made into two Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) at Nissan America’s headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee.
These systems will provide additional power supply and cost savings for Nissan’s facilities, while supporting Middle Tennessee Electric’s grid. As the utility provider for Nissan’s U.S. headquarters, MTE’s role will be to help facilitate the BESS units into the electric grid and monitor their impact.
Renewable Energy
MTE strives to be responsible stewards of the environment for future generations while providing reliable energy today.
MTE’s Cooperative Solar program allows members to experience the benefits of a solar PV system without the long-term commitment and expense of building their own system. The one-megawatt solar field is owned and maintained by MTE in College Grove, Tennessee. Members who participate can claim the power generation of a block of solar panels (5.5 panels) for $20 per month and subscribe to one or two blocks each month. The member’s monthly bill shows how much energy those panels generated and any credit received from that generation.
The co-op’s Green Switch 100 program gives members the option to offset 100 percent of their electricity usage with renewable power while paying just one additional cent per kilowatt-hour. This month-to-month program offers flexibility and sustainability while providing an easy solution to meet members’ goals.
MTE also offers a free solar consultation service, ProSolar, due to the rising number of members investing in solar energy installations. Members can speak with MTE’s in-house solar experts to learn if solar can fit their specific needs and what to look for before making a long-term commitment.
DriveEV: Electric Vehicle Initiatives
MTE has prioritized developing programs and educational materials to foster EV adoption among its members under its DriveEV program umbrella. The EV Ready program provides residential members with a $50 bill credit toward the installation of wiring to support Level 2 charging for EVs at home. Builders and developers can also participate in this program.
MTE partnered with Touchstone Energy to launch the first EV Car Club run by electric cooperatives in the country. The EV Car Club welcomes all electric vehicle enthusiasts and provides a space for EV education, discussion and EV-centric events.
Distributed Generation
MTE manages power supply through innovative initiatives to improve the reliability and affordability of electricity for members. In 2019, MTE installed Tesla Powerpacks, a grid-scale battery energy storage system (BESS), at one of its substations. The BESS charges during low-use hours and is discharged when energy demand costs from TVA are higher during peak-use hours. The BESS can deliver up to 1 MW of power back to the grid for two hours, resulting in savings that assist in keeping MTE’s rates as low as possible.
To further its understanding of non-traditional energy sources, MTE partnered with Schneider Electric to build a small microgrid using a 60kW solar PV system, 224kWh of BESS storage, a load management center and a backup diesel generator at its Lebanon office. This location will disconnect from the utility source during a power outage caused by high-impact events like a tornado or ice storm. It seamlessly supplies power to the building through solar PV and battery storage while reducing MTE’s dependency on the diesel generator.
