Tag: california

<strong>Avantus sells its energy storage project in California</strong>

Avantus sells its energy storage project in California

February 21, 2023 |

US-based Avantus announced that it has sold its ‘Big Rock I’ energy storage project in California to Gore Street Energy Storage Fund (GSF). The proceeds from the sale are not disclosed yet. The 200 MW energy storage system is expected to be one of the largest in the region and it is expected to become operational from next year. It aims to offer reliable power and provide resource adequacy and ancillary services to the California independent system operator market. The construction work for the Big Rock I project is due to begin in the second half of 2023. 

Read More
US Electric Vehicle Update: Briefing

US Electric Vehicle Update: Briefing

February 15, 2023 | ,

This alert discusses California’s industry-shaping Advanced Clean Car II regulations, California’s technology-forcing electric truck regulations, NHTSA reporting and recall enforcement risks, other federal regulatory updates, developments in EV supply chain regulations, the developing space of battery recycling regulation, privacy and cybersecurity concerns, and charging infrastructure incentives and regulation.

Read More
<strong>Intersect Power starts operations at solar project in California</strong>

Intersect Power starts operations at solar project in California

January 13, 2023 |

Intersect Power, a US-based renewable energy provider, has begun commercial operations at Athos III, a 224 MWac/310 MWp solar project in Riverside County, California. With its 448 MWh of co-located battery storage, Athos III can provide power for roughly 94,000 houses. The project generated 500 peak union employment during the construction phase.

Read More
<strong>California offshore auction receives more than $757m in winning bids</strong>

California offshore auction receives more than $757m in winning bids

December 9, 2022 |

The US government has announced that California’s first auction of offshore wind construction rights received more than $757 million in winning bids, the majority of which came from European companies. The US Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) auctioned off five lease areas on the state’s Outer Continental Shelf, totaling 73,268 acres.

Read More
From Sichuan to California, Extreme Heat Is Pushing the Grid to Its Limit

From Sichuan to California, Extreme Heat Is Pushing the Grid to Its Limit

December 1, 2022 |

The heat wave along China’s Yangtze River during the summer of 2022 was a historically significant one. The National Meteorological Center of China issued a heat-wave red alert for the first time in August. At the same time, halfway across the globe, California was also enduring a grid emergency due to a historic heat wave. Power grids in both areas were on the brink of collapse, posing a tremendous economic risk to governments, businesses, and residents alike.

Read More
Making Good on California’s Clean Transportation Promises

Making Good on California’s Clean Transportation Promises

November 23, 2022 |

As the dust settles on the 2022 elections across California, we can take stock of where we’ve made progress on tackling the state’s most stubborn source of climate pollution—transportation; namely, the cars and trucks that drive through our communities. The state has made bold and necessary commitments to zero out gas-burning vehicles by committing to 100 percent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035.

Read More
California’s Solar for Multifamily Affordable Housing Program: Report

California’s Solar for Multifamily Affordable Housing Program: Report

November 17, 2022 | ,

It includes key take-aways and recommendations on how state energy agencies and community-based organizations can work together to design and implement effective solar programs. This case study is one of six case studies to be published under CESA’s Solar with Justice project, highlighting models of collaboration between CBOs and SEAs on solar for environmental justice communities.

Read More
CPUC Issues Solar Tariff Modernization Proposal To Support Reliability and Decarbonization

CPUC Issues Solar Tariff Modernization Proposal To Support Reliability and Decarbonization

November 11, 2022 |

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today issued a proposal to modernize the Net Energy Metering (NEM) solar tariff to promote solar and battery storage, grid reliability, and control electricity costs for all Californians. The update launches the solar industry into the future so that it can support the modern grid by incentivizing solar paired with battery storage and the adoption of electric vehicles, heat pump water heaters, and other electrification appliances while making rates more affordable for Californians.

Read More
Microgrid to deploy one of North America’s largest flow batteries

Microgrid to deploy one of North America’s largest flow batteries

November 7, 2022 |

A California microgrid project that will eventually hold one of the largest flow batteries in North America is currently under construction. The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians in Alpine, California, will receive long-term energy storage through this project, which is supported by a $31 million grant from the California Energy Commission.

Read More
Enfinity Global to acquire 400 MW of operating solar projects in the US

Enfinity Global to acquire 400 MW of operating solar projects in the US

September 27, 2022 |

Enfinity Global has announced a definitive agreement with Capital Dynamics (advised by Barclays) to acquire a 400 MW utility-scale solar portfolio in the US, consisting 28 operational solar PV power plants in California, North Carolina and Idaho. The portfolio reached COD within the last five years and holds long-term power purchase agreements with high-quality utility off-takers.

Read More
How Electric Cars and Trucks Improve US Grid Reliability

How Electric Cars and Trucks Improve US Grid Reliability

September 12, 2022 |

Policies that advance EV adoption are not in conflict with efforts to continue to move to renewable energy, but a means to achieve those goals and improve reliability. For example, California’s recently adopted Clean Car Standards will put about 14 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2035. If those were all battery-electric vehicles capable of putting electricity back onto the grid, that would represent a collective battery that could theoretically power all of the homes in California for three days.

Read More
California’s Energy Trailer Bill – What just happened?

California’s Energy Trailer Bill – What just happened?

September 6, 2022 |

More timely and impactful energy policy emerged from the California legislature last week in the form of a new energy and climate change budget trailer bill (AB 209), which creates important new programs, directs billions in state funding, advances access to climate-friendly refrigerants, and shines a light on extreme heat protection for renters. A “trailer bill” is a package of policy details that follow the main budget bill, which allocates the state’s dollars.

Read More
Offshore wind development goals off the California Coast

Offshore wind development goals off the California Coast

August 17, 2022 |

A directive set forth by Assembly Bill 525 (AB 525, Chiu, Chapter 231, Statutes of 2021) directs that on or before June 1, 2022, the California Energy Commission (CEC) shall “evaluate and quantify the maximum feasible capacity of offshore wind to achieve reliability, ratepayer, employment, and decarbonization benefits and shall establish megawatt offshore wind planning goals for 2030 and 2045.” On August 12, 2022, the CEC adopted a report whose preliminary findings set planning goals of 2,000-5,000 MW of offshore wind by 2030 and 25,000 MW by 2045.

Read More
US DOI grants permission for construction of key transmission project

US DOI grants permission for construction of key transmission project

July 18, 2022 |

The US Department of the Interior (DOI) has approved the development of the Ten West Link Transmission Line between Tonopah, Arizona and Blythe, California. The planned energy infrastructure project, which will include the construction of a 125-mile-long 500- kilovolt transmission line, will assist the two states develop future solar energy projects and storage resources.

Read More
Wärtsilä to provide 500 MW energy storage portfolio for Clearway Energy Group

Wärtsilä to provide 500 MW energy storage portfolio for Clearway Energy Group

July 13, 2022 |

Wärtsilä, a Finnish energy provider, has won a contract from Clearway Energy Group to provide a 500MWac/2GWh energy storage portfolio for Clearway’s solar-plus-storage projects. The five solar-plus-storage sites are a combination of energy storage and solar photovoltaic (PV) resources, and they are situated in Hawaii and California. The Daggett II and Daggett III projects, with a combined solar PV capacity of 482MWac and 275MWac/1.1GWh of energy storage, are part of the portfolio.

Read More
Biden Administration Proposes First-Ever California Offshore Wind Lease Sale

Biden Administration Proposes First-Ever California Offshore Wind Lease Sale

May 31, 2022 |

On May 26, 2022, the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) that includes three proposed lease areas in the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area (WEA) off central California and two proposed lease areas in the Humboldt WEA off northern California. The lease sale in two regions hundreds of miles apart is novel. Taken together, the five proposed lease areas total approximately 373,268 acres that have the potential to unlock over 4.5 gigawatts of offshore wind energy.

Read More
Achieving a clean power system in California: Report

Achieving a clean power system in California: Report

May 18, 2022 | ,

This companion policy report provides California policymakers with no-regrets actions to implement reliability insights from the technical analysis. The recommendations show how the state can mitigate risks from deploying resources too slowly, and reduce air pollution impacts of legacy natural gas power plants, while expanding resource diversity and regional coordination to improve reliability.

Read More
AES signs PPAs to deliver 450 MW of clean energy to Amazon

AES signs PPAs to deliver 450 MW of clean energy to Amazon

May 9, 2022 |

AES Corporation, based in the US, has signed two power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Amazon to supply 450 MW of clean energy to power its data centre operations in California. AES Corporation’s portfolio of projects will deliver clean energy to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) market with 450 MW of solar and 225 MW of four-hour duration battery energy storage.

Read More