Often overlooked in renewable energy, is the less exciting but hugely important battery storage projects we’ll need to make a renewable energy transition viable. Without enough places to put all the clean energy we generate we won’t be able to entirely move away from fossil fuels. That’s why it’s so exciting to see a new battery project at Desert Sunlight getting the green light.
Green Light For Green Energy Storage
At one of California’s largest renewable energy sites, Desert Sunlight Solar Farm, a new large-scale battery storage system has been given the go-ahead by the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It will be added to a slightly smaller battery storage system launched last August. The new system will have an output of 300MW and with a presumed standard four-hour duration resource (1,200MWh). NextEra Energy Resources are set to begin work on the project soon.
The new battery storage will be connected to a 230MW system that came online last summer, which forms part of Desert Sunlight, a flagship solar PV plant that was launched in 2015. The project received a loan of $1.5bn from the Department of Energy (DOE).
Once up and running, the two connected battery systems could be some of the biggest we’ve ever seen, securing the pioneering position of California and the US at-large. The California Energy Commission (CEC), both state and nation fish and wildlife departments, along with the Bureau of Land Management are involved in the new project.
What is Desert Sunlight?
One of America’s biggest solar farms, Desert Sunlight has a 550MW generation capacity. The plant uses 8.8 million thin-film solar modules made by US-based First Solar. The site of Desert Sunlight was identified as part of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, which will see renewable energy projects developed on 10.8 million acres in California, whilst conserving the local ecosystem.
Conclusion
It’s fantastic to see more and more projects launching lately, bringing our climate targets closer to reality. Reuters recently reported that renewable energy capacity is expected to increase by a third this year. With all this growth, battery storage is becoming all the more necessary. California, with all its vast desert, is in a great position to expand their renewable energy generation and storage projects. For places without the advantage of space, solutions are being found. What are the problems we still face when it comes to the green energy transition? Let us know in the comments!
