EDF Renewables North America has signed a storage contract with CleanPowerSF as an extension to the previously negotiated 20-year solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
A 200 megawatt hour (MWh) battery storage device will now be combined with the 100 megawatt (MWac) Maverick 6 Solar Project. By the end of 2021, the project is scheduled to come online and generate ample renewable energy annually to power 49,000 typical California homes.
The project is located on federal land within a Solar Energy Zone (SEZ) and Development Focus Area, operated by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in Riverside County, California. The BLM completed the federal permitting process in October 2018, issuing a Record of Decision (ROD) for the project.
“EDF Renewables is pleased to partner again with CleanPowerSF to expand upon our solar PPA to include battery storage at Maverick 6. Battery storage is increasingly becoming essential to enable further deployment of renewables as well as to provide grid stability. This 200 MWh contract increases EDF Renewable’s battery storage portfolio to 1.5 gigawatt hours (GWh) to be constructed by 2023 in the US.”
Dai Owen, vice president, origination and power marketing at EDF Renewables.
Electricity generated during peak solar hours can be dispatched later in the day by combining the solar facility with an energy storage solution, thus establishing a balance between electricity generation and demand.
Smooth electricity costs, night energy ramps can be regulated, energy storage can reduce curtailment, and provide grid stability.
CleanPowerSF is a not-for-profit initiative operated by the Public Utilities Commission of San Francisco (SFPUC). The program was launched in 2016 with a goal to provide residents and businesses in San Francisco with the option of supplying their energy at affordable rates from clean, renewable sources.
In San Francisco, CleanPowerSF currently serves nearly 380,000 client accounts. The program is popular among companies and people, with a 96 percent participation rate.
“At a time when the state is experiencing rolling blackouts and other power uncertainties, ensuring grid reliability for our customers is paramount for the agency. Through the approval of this new storage contract, we are taking an important step to ensure we continue providing clean, safe, and affordable energy to our customers no matter the time of day.”
Harlan L. Kelly Jr., SFPUC general manage.
