At-a-Glance:
Southern California Edison announced it will work with developers to build seven lithium-ion battery storage projects that add up to 770 megawatts (MW), which is more than all of the battery storage projects commissioned in the country last year and enough to power a small city. The utility said the projects each use four-hour battery systems and construction will be complete by August 2021. To learn more, read “A California Utility Announces 770 Megawatts of Battery Storage. That’s a Lot.”
Key Takeaways:
- Battery storage is a vital element of building a cleaner grid because it helps to fill in the gaps left when wind and solar resources aren’t as plentiful.
- Southern California Edison accepted bids from four developers: Southern Power, TerraGen Power, NextEra Energy Resources and LS Power.
- These seven new projects are more than double the 293 MW of battery storage that went online last year for the entire country, according to BloombergNEF.
Path to 100% Perspective:
Battery storage is part of the solution on the path to 100 percent renewable power strategy, but not the only solution. Southern California Edison announced these projects in response to concerns about grid reliability as thermal power plants are being replaced with intermittent renewable resources. This move indicates utilities need to find better ways to navigate grid reliability challenges, while also staying on track to meet state standards for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, such as flexible technologies, solutions and policies.