Utility-scale energy storage developer esVolta has been chosen to supply four lithium-ion battery storage systems to provide “incremental capacity” in California for utility Southern California Edison Company (SCE).
SCE said the systems, with a combined battery storage capacity of 38.5 megawatt-hours, would provide incremental capacity at specifically targeted locations, in order to improve the reliability of SCE’s electric distribution system”.
The installations in Riverside and Ventura counties— the contracts for which are subject to approval by the California Public Utilities Commission— will also “avoid more costly system upgrades that would otherwise be necessary to meet anticipated load demand”, SCE said.
If given the go-ahead, esVolta will develop, build, and operate a 3MW/12MWh ‘Wildcat’ project near Palm Springs, and three ‘Acorn’ projects in Thousand Oaks, which will have a combined storage capacity of 6.5MW/26.5MWh.
Earlier this year, esVolta was selected to build a proposed 75-megawatt lithium-ion battery storage facility in California for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).
Separately, PG&E sought permission from California energy regulators to install four battery storage facilities— with a combined capacity of more than 560MW— to replace reliance on gas peaker plants for grid reliability.
