kellogh, 4 months ago

@bentomn this is good. one of the criticisms of solar/battery power is that european success stories meet peak demands by pulling excess power from nearby countries. OTOH hawaii can't do this, so if they can prove that this works, that diminishes that point pretty hard

bentomn, 4 months ago

@kellogh California also solves peak demand in a drought by pulling adjacent state power, and hydro from Hoover & Glen Canyon Dams. With more solar, one opportunity will be to shift those amp hours into the evening thru battery buildout. Perhaps this can lead to summer only gas peaker plant decommissioning. There are a few of these projects working now, one in Ventura County described here: https://electrek.co/2021/06/30/tesla-megapacks-power-on-battery-replacing-gas-peaker-plant-california/

bentomn, 4 months ago (edited 4 months ago)

Restarting the grid from a battery plant is a useful capability, and they say Hawaii is now ready.

This is an important part of this story, as it is a claim used by fossil power.

California’s large gas plant at Moss Landing, is now also a battery plant. I’ve seen mention that it can still serve to restart the grid when needed.

https://www.montereycountyweekly.com/news/local_news/once-the-source-of-large-scale-pollution-moss-landing-is-cleaning-up/article_0dd3f6ee-dc78-11ec-b0a8-5741b0afcbb8.html

bentomn, 4 months ago

Deconstruction of fossil power at Moss Landing. (Nov 2023)

What will remain will be one of the largest battery power plants, paired with a high efficiency gas plant when required.

There is a path to lower carbon use even for utilities.

Expected completion this summer 2024.

https://www.montereycountyweekly.com/blogs/news_blog/work-continues-on-deconstruction-of-the-old-moss-landing-power-plant/article_eb866b40-8800-11ee-9dfd-9795426d8044.html

bentomn, 4 months ago

Redondo Beach Generating Station retired (Jan 2024)

Mayor Bill Brand succeeded in closing plant.

https://www.dailybreeze.com/2024/01/01/aes-power-plant-in-redondo-beach-retired-redevelopment-hangs-in-the-future/

“This one gas plant will not make or break California’s climate goals, or the electric grid. But it’s a useful case study because the choice is so stark. Shut the plant on deadline, or let it keep running. There’s no middle ground.” - Sammy Roth writing for LA Times *

How a beachfront gas plant explains California’s energy problems (2021) *
https://www.latimes.com/environment/newsletter/2021-04-01/how-a-beachfront-gas-plant-explains-californias-energy-problems-boiling-point

bentomn, 4 months ago

US battery storage capacity is expected to nearly double in 2024 (Jan 2024)

“California has the most installed battery storage capacity of any state by far, with 7.3 GW, followed by Texas with 3.2 GW.

Both states have seen enormous solar and wind growth, which in turn spurs battery storage growth.
[..]
The other 48 states have a total of around of 3.5 GW of installed battery storage capacity.”

https://electrek.co/2024/01/09/us-battery-storage-capacity-is-expected-to-nearly-double-in-2024/