Following a summer of record temperatures in California, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) today (Oct 12) announced the start of testing for the company's new 40 MW energy storage project in Fallbrook and the start of construction on one of four energy storage and microgrid projects that will bring an additional 39 MW of battery capacity to the region. SDG&E has been rapidly expanding its energy storage portfolio. The company has about 95 MW of utility-owned energy storage currently available, with another 200+ MW in development.
"Innovations like storage and microgrids are vital to building a more resilient electric grid that can extend the availability of renewable energy into peak demand hours and better prepare communities to manage through emergencies," said SDG&E Vice President of Energy Innovation Miguel Romero.
During last month's heatwave, energy storage, in addition to energy conservation efforts, helped California avoid rotating outages. California has increased investment in energy storage since 2020 and the state now has close to 4,000 MW of batteries. These batteries provided an estimated 4% of the electricity supply during peak demand to help avert rotating outages. Within SDG&E's service territory, utility-scale battery storage systems - utility and third party-owned - served as much as 7% of the regional load during peak hours of the heatwave.
"Extreme weather events, like the recent record heatwave, require our region to strengthen our emergency preparedness and resiliency," said San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo (District 7). "Investing in innovative clean energy technology like the Tierrasanta Microgrid will bolster public safety while also bringing economic opportunity to local, family-owned businesses."
Microgrids are small-scale grids that can operate independent of or parallel to the larger regional grid will also help keep critical community facilities powered during unexpected outages. Once complete, the Elliott Microgrid will have the ability to power Fire Station 39, the Tierrasanta Public Library/Cool Zone, Tierrasanta Medical Center, Jean Farb Middle School, Canyon Hills High School, and Tierrasanta and Kumeyaay Elementary Schools.
Construction of the Fallbrook energy storage facility has been completed, and the facility is undergoing testing to be connected to the state energy market so the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) can dispatch these resources as needed to balance energy supply and demand throughout the state. The Fallbrook facility will be able to store a total of 40 MW of energy or enough to energize 25,000 homes.
Battery storage works by capturing renewable resources like wind and solar when they are abundant during the day, then sending that energy back to the grid when it is needed, such as at night when the sun has set or when energy supply is tight during hot summer months.
SDG&E is an innovative San Diego-based energy company that provides clean, safe and reliable energy to better the lives of the people it serves in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The company is committed to creating a sustainable future by providing its electricity from renewable sources; modernizing natural gas pipelines; accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles; supporting numerous non-profit partners; and, investing in innovative technologies to ensure the reliable operation of the region's infrastructure for generations to come. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE). For more information, visit SDGEnews.com or connect with SDG&E on Twitter (@SDGE), Instagram (@SDGE) and Facebook.
Video from construction of Fallbrook facility available here
Contacts
Krista Van Tassel
San Diego Gas & Electric
877-866-2066
kvantas1@sdge.com
Twitter: @sdge
