The new 4MW Yerba Buena Battery Energy Storage System Pilot Project will charge batteries when demand is low and then sends reserved power to the grid when demand grows.
PG&E, responsible for the installation and evaluation of the energy storage system, has received a $3.3m grant from the Energy Commission.
Commenting on the launch, Energy Commission Chair Robert B. Weisenmiller said that the investments in energy storage play a key role for the state to meet its renewable energy goals, and the Yerba Buena Battery Energy Storage System will improve efficiency and reliability in the electricity supply.
PG&E Distribution Operations senior vice president Greg Kiraly said, "This pilot project will provide critical, real-world data on the technical and financial performance of battery energy storage to help us understand how battery storage devices can serve PG&E’s customers and the overall electric grid."
Meanwhile, S&C Electric is the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the project and supplied the storage management system and power conversion equipment that control the battery’s AC input/output and its interface with the electric grid.
