San Diego Gas & Electric begin testing 40 MW energy storage project, adding microgrids to region
A series of new deployments to the area around San Diego, Calif., began this week, with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) kicking off testing on a 40 MW energy storage project in Fallbrook, Calif., and starting construction on one of four new storage and microgrid projects.
When finished, the latter will bring another 39 MW of battery capacity to the region and add to the company’s 95 MW energy storage capacity. These microgrids will be deployed at company substations to build resiliency on a system increasingly under regular strain from extreme weather.
“Innovations like storage and microgrids are vital to building a more resilient electric grid that can extend the availability of renewable energy into peak demand hours and better prepare communities to manage through emergencies,” Miguel Romero, SDG&E vice president of energy innovation, said.
Microgrids are small-scale grids capable of operating independently or in addition to a larger regional grid. This allows them to keep critical community facilities online during unexpected outages, such as fire stations, public libraries, medical centers, and schools.
The new Fallbrook facility could theoretically power the equivalent of 25,000 homes if its tests earn approval for connection to the state energy market and the oversight of the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). Once online, it will back a growing network of utility-scale battery storage systems that, according to SDG&E, accounted for 7 percent of its regional load during peak hours of the recent California heat wave and helped avoid rotating outages.
