EDF Renewables North America has announced the signing of a storage contract with CleanPowerSF as an expansion to the previously announced 20-year solar Power Purchase Agreement. The 100 megawatt Maverick 6 Solar Project will now be coupled with a 200 megawatt hour battery storage system, which increases EDF Renewables’ battery storage portfolio to 1.5 gigawatt hours to be constructed by 2023 in the U.S.
The project is located in Riverside County, California on federal lands within a Solar Energy Zone and Development Focus Area. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management manages the area and completed the federal permitting process issuing the project a Record of Decision in October 2018. It is expected to come online by the end of 2021 and deliver enough clean electricity annually to power 49,000 average California homes.
Why add the storage PPA?
By coupling the solar facility with an energy storage solution, electricity produced during peak solar hours can be dispatched later in the day, thereby creating a balance between electricity generation and demand. Energy storage can further smooth electricity prices, manage evening energy ramps, mitigate curtailment and provide grid stability.
CleanPowerSF is a not-for-profit program operated by San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The program launched in 2016 with a mission to provide San Francisco residents and businesses with the choice of having their electricity supplied from clean, renewable sources at competitive rates. CleanPowerSF now serves about 380,000 customer accounts in San Francisco. With a 96 percent participation rate, the program is popular among businesses and residents.
“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,” said San Francisco Public Utilities Commission General Manager Harlan L. Kelly Jr. “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.”
— Solar Builder magazine
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