Cal ISO: California grid battery storage increased nearly 20x since 2019 to 5,000MW; projected to hit 52,000 MW by 2045
01 June 2023
According to the California Independent System Operator, battery storage capacity in the state has increased by nearly 20 times since 2019—from 250 megawatts (MW) to 5,000 MW.
Today’s fleet of storage resources can capture enough electricity to power up to 5 million California homes. By 2045, capacity is projected to increase another 10 times to 52,000 MW.
Source: California Energy Commission
The latest data from the California Energy Commission (CEC) shows that in 2021 more than 37% of the state’s electricity came from Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS)-eligible sources such as solar and wind, an increase of 2.7% compared to 2020.
When combined with other sources of zero-carbon energy such as large hydroelectric generation and nuclear, nearly 59% of the state’s retail electricity sales came from nonfossil fuel sources. This amount remains unchanged from 2020 despite the jump in renewables due to drought-related declines in hydroelectric generation.
California’s RPS program requires all load-serving entities in California to procure a portion of their electricity sales from eligible renewable resources. The program was established in 2002 with an initial requirement that 20% of electricity retail sales be served by renewable resources by 2017. Escalating requirements saw the goal increase to 33% by 2020—a target that was met two years early in 2018.
Senate Bill 100 (2018) accelerates the RPS goal to 60% by 2030. The policy also requires RPS-eligible sources and zero-carbon resources to supply 100% of California’s electricity retail sales and electricity procured to serve state agencies by 2045.
To keep the state on track, last year Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1020 (2022), establishing interim targets of 90% clean electricity by 2030 and 95% by 2040.
My view is that most of this increase in storage capacity will not use batteries.
The practical economic storage for utility scale storage using lithium batteries is around 4 hours.
Overnight utility scale storage ie for up to around 12 hours is now demonstrated and under construction at two locations by using compressed CO2, which does not have the energy costs of compressing air, as the nitrogen which forms most of it does not contribute other than to costs.
Very low temperatures are not needed, and all construction is of industry standard components
https://energydome.com/
This is not suitable for individual homes, but its modular nature means that energy storage can be relatively close to the point of use, avoiding long distance transmission losses.
It is rather like what the older folk among us will remember from our youth as the town gas works, where a dome rose and sank each day as gas suppies were drawn down.
The cost is something of the order of half that of using batteries, and very rapid roll out is enabled by the use of industry standard components.
Round trip efficiency is around 75%.
The first two commercial units following successful demos are due to be completed and running this year.
Posted by: Davemart | 01 June 2023 at 12:54 AM