Ventura Energy Storage (VES), a 100-MW/400-MWh battery energy storage system in unincorporated Ventura County, California, has completed pre-construction development by Strata Solar. Tesla will EPC the installation of its Megapack battery system. Construction, using local union labor, is scheduled to commence in July 2020.
Strata Solar’s Ventura Energy Storage project was competitively selected by Southern California Edison (SCE), a subsidiary of Edison International, for a 20-year PPA in April 2019 to supply local capacity. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) unanimously approved the PPA in December 2019. As the largest project selected in the paradigm-shifting solicitation by SCE, the Project is helping Southern California to move away from the Aliso Natural Gas Storage facility and coastal power plants without compromising reliability.
“This precedent setting project is a testament to Strata Solar’s 12 years of success in the energy industry and our commitment to battery storage development as a core business line,” said Strata’s founder and CEO Markus Wilhelm. “We focus on smart development, value for our customers and strong returns for our investors with a team that has the experience to deliver market-leading results.”
Following a breakneck development effort, the project recently completed entitlements and finalized all necessary commercial agreements. Equity interest in the project is scheduled to close in the second quarter. The substantial investment in Ventura’s energy infrastructure would not be possible without the numerous local stakeholders and supporters committed to the project’s success.
Developed on a brownfield site in a private industrial park, the Ventura Energy Storage project is sited away from residences and in close proximity to a critical transmission line, which provides backbone power for much of western Ventura County. The project also co-invested in modernizing the local water system to support area fire prevention and additional business growth.
The electrical grid in Ventura County is stressed by diverse terrain, extreme weather and the planned retirement of old and inefficient natural gas fueled power plants along the coast. By developing new and versatile energy resources like Ventura Energy Storage, the reliability of the electric system is enhanced without increasing emissions.
“Ventura County is particularly vulnerable to energy supply shortfalls,” said Louise Lampara, Executive Director of CoLab Ventura County. “Strata Solar’s Ventura Energy Storage Project will provide critical on-demand electricity for over 80,000 local households and businesses. Our residents and businesses need reliable energy to support our economy and quality of life – and Ventura Energy Storage is an essential part of the solution.”
News item from Strata Solar
Solarman says
Once again, the project is set for a 4 hour storage solution. I don’t get this, it is (expected) that a fueled generation construction will have cost over runs and construction delays. With Energy storage, the project is pretty much (set) to 4 hours of energy storage maximum. The problem, making alternative energy intermittent generation act like dispatchable fueled generation will take at least 8 to 24 hours. No one has done this yet and so the entire electric utility industry is “waiting” for someone else to DO IT first and see how it works. All this knowing full well, decarbonization has already been mandated, so using stacked grid service streams in one asset to help pay for the project over the years or waiting for the price to come down? Which is better? Perhaps better analytics and projections are needed now to enforce the cost/kWh of constructed energy storage and the availability of energy storage to become the new normal with 24 hours available.