World's Second Largest Solar Energy Storage is Now Up and Running in California

The second largest solar storage in the world is now up and running in Riverside County, California, according to a report by NBC.

According to Axium Infrastructure, the Crimson Storage solar farm is authorized to store 350MW/1400MWh of electricity. It will provide flexibility and reliability during periods of high electricity demand on California's electricity system.

Crimson is the largest energy storage project to operate in a single phase and the second-largest energy storage project to enter operation globally.

Long-term Contracts

The project's long-term operational services will be provided by CSI Energy Storage, the system integrator supplying the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) needs of the storage.

Additionally, it has two long-term energy contracts with Pacific Gas & Energy and Southern California Edison:

• Pacific Gas and Electric Company: Recurrent Energy and Axium will run the battery system in the California wholesale power market under a 15-year agreement with the aforementioned companies for a 150 MW/600 MWh resource adequacy project.

• Southern California Edison: 200 MW/800 MWh deal with Southern California Edison for 14 years and 10 months, with complete tolling.

With clearance from the Bureau of Land Management in May 2021, the storage is situated in the desert close to Blythe on public property.

Power Over 47,000 Houses

According to Karen E. Mouritsen, state director for BLM in California, they look forward to supporting further initiatives like Crimson Storage that ensure appropriate energy production on BLM lands.

Each year, it is reported that this storage plant stores and distributes enough electricity to power more than 47,000 houses. When compared to natural gas-fired turbine generating, it is also anticipated to reduce up to 275,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and 47 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions annually.

Around 140 union workers, including members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, International Union of Operating Engineers, Laborers International Union of North America, and International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Iron Workers Union, were employed by Crimson Storage during construction.

During the course of operation, the project is anticipated to bring in $30 million more in property taxes for the community.

Axium Vice President Thierry Vandal expressed the company's excitement for the Crimson project to start operating and its support for California's ongoing transformation to renewable energy. He emphasized that initiatives like Crimson are crucial to enabling the energy transition.

The Bureau of Land Management, Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Energy, Recurrent Energy, Axium Infrastructure, and CSI Energy Storage are all partners in the project, according to NBC.

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Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla