AES breaks ground on California storage

5 July 2019


AES has started construction of a 400 MWh battery-based energy storage system in California.

The Alamitos Energy Center (AEC) in Long Beach is part of a larger project to modernize and replace the existing Alamitos generating station and will play a key part in helping California to meet an aggressive 100 per cent clean energy target by 2045.

AEC will be equipped with Advancion 5 batteries and control systems supplied by storage technology firm Fluence. It will provide up to 400 MWh of energy to provide power at peak demand as well as support the grid and assist integration of renewable energy.

“We’re constructing a state-of-the-art energy storage system with Fluence that will help the state integrate more renewable power, employ the highest efficiency technology and focus on energy performance for SCE and its customers,” said Ken Zagzebski, President of AES Southland.

AES Southland was awarded a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) by SCE in 2014 to provide 100 MW of interconnected energy storage. It is part of a $2 billion repowering initiative in Long Beach to replace aging natural gas peakers with a combination of combined-cycle gas capacity and battery energy storage.

“Alamitos energy storage will stand as the first of a new generation of energy storage procured as stand-alone alternatives to new gas plants. It represents a whole new way to think about capacity and reliability,” said John Zahurancik, Chief Operating Officer for Fluence. “Its size, flexibility and long duration stand as a benchmark, and showcase energy storage as a mainstream option for peaking power and grid support.



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