California is the force behind the surge in utility-scale battery storage systems in the United States, contributing just over half of the country’s total battery capacity of approximately 17.5 GW since 2019.
The Golden State has 8.6 GW of storage capacity, which is about twice as much as Texas, the second-largest deployer of battery storage.
According to Reuters, the total U.S. battery storage capacity could reach 30 GW by year’s end, so long as developers bring their projects online by their intended commercial operation dates.
The rise in battery storage capacity allows system managers to store excess power generated by solar and wind, and to then discharge that surplus power to consumers once renewable generation declines, or in other words, when the sun goes down or the wind lets up.
Power producers in the state’s power system, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), are already using battery storage to provide as much as 20% of the system’s electricity during periods of peak demand. Oftentimes, batteries are the largest single source of electricity, surpassing the power generated by hydro dams, nuclear reactors, and natural gas plants.
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