Utilities, Solar  -  November 13, 2019

Los Angeles plans mega solar-storage facility for utility customers

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is planning a project that will provide storable, renewable and affordable power to customers in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley through a combined solar/storage facility.

The Eland Solar & Storage Center, built in partnership with 8minute Solar Energy, LLC,  will generate up to 400 MW of solar energy for the grid while maintaining a storage capacity of up to 300 MW (1200 MWh) to be used during times of less sun. A key feature will be the full dispatchable power that the Los Angeles utility will have control of to meet its customers’ energy demands.

The facility is expected to supply clean power to more than a million people throughout LA County, produce an annual capacity of more than 1.7 billion kWh and reduce carbon emissions by nearly 1.2 million metric tons each year.

Developers of the project claim that users will have access to the facility at the lowest combined solar and storage prices on record, at less than 2 cents per kWh. They expect the facility, which will be built across 2,000 acres of desert land 70 miles north of Los Angeles, to start operations in 2022 and have full operational capabilities in 2023.

“This is what the future of energy looks like,” Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, President and CEO of 8minute, said in a statement, “We’re working to dispel misconceptions about the availability, reliability, and long-term viability of clean solar power. Utilizing existing transmission infrastructure to an extent never before seen for solar power plants, allows for the rapid expansion of clean energy projects while saving the ratepayer money. It’s a huge win—for the city of Los Angeles, the people of California, and workers as well as a game-changer for the renewable energy industry.”

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