alifornia Turns to BESS to Maintain Power During Record Heat, an Industrial Info News Alert
Researched by Industrial Info Resources – Amid record-breaking summer temperatures exceeding 110°F, California has avoided power shortages, rolling blackouts, and state-issued warnings, thanks to the rapid expansion of battery energy-storage systems (BESS). Installed BESS capacity has surged from 1,474 megawatts (MW) in 2020 to 10,383 MW in 2024, as reported by the California Energy Commission. Industrial Info is tracking over $4.5 billion in BESS projects in California, with more than half attributed to new developments.
Key BESS projects include stand-alone systems, such as Averon Energy’s upcoming Cormorant Battery Storage project, set to begin construction next year.
In the U.S., billions of dollars are invested in BESS projects using Tesla’s technology, as detailed in our July 23, 2024, article on Tesla’s Megapack contracts.
Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED) is nearing completion of a $35 million expansion at its Westside Canal BESS Plant in El Centro, which will boost its capacity by 400 MW, adding to the existing 131 MW. Fluence Energy (NASDAQ: FLNC), a Siemens AG and AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) joint venture, provides the lithium-ion technology for this project.
While stand-alone facilities see substantial investment, co-located BESS units attached to power-generation sites are also growing. Notable projects include AES Corporation’s $60 million BESS unit at the Silver Peak Solar Plant in Adelanto, which will complement a 50-MW solar farm.
Fresno County hosts major solar-BESS projects like EDP Renewables North America’s $500 million Scarlet Solar Plant in Tranquillity, with its first phase including 400 MW of solar and 40 MW of storage. Phase II, a $200 million project, will add a 150-MW BESS unit starting in early 2025.
Co-located BESS units are not limited to solar. Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure plc (NASDAQ: AY) is adding a $40 million BESS unit at its Navy Coso I Power Station in Little Lake, a 152.2-MW geothermal plant, following a 60-MW unit completed in 2021.
For detailed reports on these projects and others nearing or under construction in California, subscribers can access our GMI Project and Plant databases.
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Industrial Info Resources (IIR) provides leading industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has delivered comprehensive research, news, and analysis on industrial process, manufacturing, and energy sectors. Our Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform offers insights into over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD). For more information, visit www.industrialinfo.com.
