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California's big batteries kick in!

image credit: Hitachi Energy Velocity Suite
Kent Knutson's picture
Kent Knutson 27,431
Energy Market Specialist, Hitachi Energy USA Inc.

Kent Knutson is a market specialist focusing on energy industry intelligence for Hitachi Energy.  He has more than 30 years of experience designing and developing intelligence products for some...

  • Member since 2018
  • 227 items added with 157,359 views
  • Aug 16, 2022
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Here is a snapshot from yesterday (Monday/August 15) displaying charging and discharging (five-minute increments) from operating utility-scale battery storage facilities in the California ISO (CAISO). The average discharge from hour 17 through hour 20 was a phenomenal 1,738 MW with a peak discharge of 2,455 MW at the beginning of hour 19. That is a significant contribution! 

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Matt Chester's picture
Matt Chester on Aug 16, 2022

Love seeing the theoretical developments taking place in reality and shown in clear numbers. We're in a transition, that's for sure!

ERIC BRODRICK's picture
ERIC BRODRICK on Aug 17, 2022

That's a pretty hefty discharge and an 8 hour period on line. How much capacity did the battery banks have left ?

Kent Knutson's picture
Kent Knutson on Aug 17, 2022

Hi Eric, the net charge/discharge data is available on the CAISO website . . . what I cannot decipher is at what level or 'charge state' the batteries were in at various times of the day.  Somewhat of a mystery to me?  Thanks for your comment.  

Jim Stack's picture
Jim Stack on Aug 17, 2022

Yes the growth in both home and business and GRID Storage has been amazing. Tesla now sells not only home Power Walls but and also Mega Watt GRID storage. This really helps make energy production more efficient. We can add more Solar Wind and Hydro while reducing the high cost Peaking Power plants like Natural Gas. 

   There are also buses and other big vehicles that park for many hours a day being used for V2G Vehicle To GRID. I read where some are being paid $2 a kWh for adding power during times of need. We also have batteries good for 20 to 30 years and or 300,000 to 500,000 miles. This is a great change for everyone. 

Michael Keller's picture
Michael Keller on Aug 22, 2022

Completely out of touch with reality. 

This may come as a rude shock, but all this equipment costs money. I know the renewable energy business model relies on leeching money from the consumer and taxpayer. However, the green mafia is running out of other peoples money. Simply look at Germany and California to see where the mindless pursuit of green energy leads.


Buses and cars are used during the day and require charging when not in use. They are not a realistic means to cover evening peaks as the batteries will be tapped out.

Michael Keller's picture
Michael Keller on Aug 22, 2022

But how much is it costing?

I know green energy operates under the philosophy of “it’s only money, and it’s not even ours”. However, the poor and middle class in California are being pushed into economic oblivion.

Can we figure out the cost of using batteries for brief periods of time? Yep, the number is off-scale high - direct result of a dismal capacity factor. The green energy mafia overtly hides the information from the public in order to further line the pockets of the investment class.

Kent Knutson's picture
Thank Kent for the Post!
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