Focus
California targets up to 2 GW of long-duration storage as part of 10.6 GW clean energy procurement
Utility Dive – August 27
California will solicit up to 2 GW of long-duration energy storage resources as part of a 10.6 GW centralized procurement for emerging clean energy technologies to be deployed between 2031 and 2037, the California Public Utilities Commission announced. Set to begin in 2026, the planned energy storage solicitations will request bids for up to 1 GW of resources with durations of at least 12 hours and 1 GW of multi-day storage resources that can be commissioned between 2031 and 2037. The procurement also includes up to 1 GW of geothermal energy generation that can be commissioned between 2031 and 2037 and 7.6 GW of floating offshore wind generation that can be commissioned between 2035 and 2037.
News
Biden administration finalizes solar lands plan, touts permitting progress
U.S. News & World Report – August 29
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has finalized a roadmap to expand solar energy on federal lands in 11 western states, part of a broader push to speed the permitting and construction of big infrastructure projects. The plan identifies 31 million acres best suited for solar development in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. The lands identified have high solar potential and low conflicts with wildlife and plant habitats, giving projects proposed in these locations a jumpstart on permitting.
Energy demand from data centers growing faster than West can supply, experts say
OPB – August 26
New data centers, which can be built in as little as 18 months, are far outpacing the growth in new electrical energy supply and transmission, according to members of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council, a nonprofit organization based in Salt Lake City that ensures grid connection and reliability between utilities in 14 western states and parts of Canada and Mexico. The council in 2023 projected that demand for electricity in the West would increase about 17% by 2033 – that’s about twice what it had predicted just the year before. That leap in projected energy use is due largely to the number of large data centers being built, they said.
Interconnection jam: Southwest Power Pool latest to sound DER warning
Microgrid Knowledge – August 26
The Southwest Power Pool is feeling overwhelmed by the rising wave of decentralized energy projects such as solar-storage microgrids and seeking some relief from the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The FERC request highlights a key challenge for the nation’s grid system operators such as Southwest Power Pool, Mid-Continent ISO, California ISO, and PJM. The pace of new distributed energy project applications apparently is more than the systems can handle and leading to interconnection delays of up to five years or more.
Projects
Poway City Council paves way for 300 MW battery energy storage system
The San Diego Union-Tribune – August 26
The Poway City Council has approved the construction of a 300 MW battery energy storage system facility on 10 acres in the Poway Business Park. The proposed Nighthawk Energy Storage Project will help the local power grid capture solar and wind energy, then store the power in batteries and discharge it when needed most, said Josh Coon, vice president of development for the owner of the facility, Arevon Energy.
Clearway closes financing, commences construction on California solar+storage
Solar Industry Magazine – August 27
Clearway Energy Group has closed on $550 million in construction financing and broke ground on the company’s 140 MW solar and 118 MW storage project in Kern County: Rosamond South I. The project, referred to as Golden Fields Solar IV by its offtakers, is under 15-year agreements with MCE, University of California, Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Utility, Eastside Power Authority, and the City of Moreno Valley.
New solar project in Southern Nevada gets federal BLM approval
News 3 – August 27
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has issued a right-of-way for the Dry Lake East Energy Center Solar Project in southern Nevada, meaning construction can begin. The energy center is expected to generate up to 200 MW and store up to 600 MW of clean energy, according to the BLM.
Solar Landscape to plan community solar projects for NSA self-storage properties
Solar Power World – August 27
National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) plans to partner with Solar Landscape to pursue installation of solar projects on NSA properties nationwide. The groups plan to develop at least 100 MW of solar capacity. NSA has granted Solar Landscape exclusive rights to evaluate approximately 1,000 of NSA’s properties in 42 states and Puerto Rico for the potential to host community solar.
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