California utility regulators are considering proposals by electric utilities to electrify the transportation sector. If the three largest electrical corporations' proposals are approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, it could represent an investment of about $1 billion in transportation electrification in California over about 5 years.
The transportation sector is a major consumer of energy and emitter of carbon dioxide. In California, the transportation sector accounts for 37 percent of statewide greenhouse gas emissions. Electrifying transportation -- converting vehicles and trips from direct consumption of fossil fuels to EVs or electric vehicles -- can reduce emissions, particularly where the electricity supply is sourced from renewable or low-carbon resources.
To address energy and climate matters, in 2015 the California legislature enacted Senate Bill 350, the Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act. SB 350 codified Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.'s clean energy
and climate change goals, establishing a statewide 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target
of 40 percent below 1990 level. SB 350 calls for pursuing those goals through a variety of measures, including the promotion of "widespread transportation electrification," defined as "the use of electricity from
external sources of electrical power, including the electrical grid, for
all or part of vehicles, vessels, trains, boats, or other equipment
that are mobile sources of air pollution and greenhouse gases and the
related programs and charging and propulsion infrastructure investments
to enable and encourage this use of electricity."
The legislation requires the California Public Utilities Commission to direct electrical corporations to file
applications for programs and investments to accelerate widespread
transportation electrification. That process is now underway. On September 14, 2016, the Commission issued an order directing the state's three major investor-owned utilities to prepare and file applications describing their proposed transportation electrification projects and programs.
On January 20, 2017, the three utilities -- Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), SouthernCalifornia Edison (SCE), and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) -- filed their applications. As summarized by the Commission, PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E submitted proposals to invest $1 billion in transportation electrification over an approximate five
year period. Onroad medium and heavy-duty charging infrastructure proposed by SCE accounts for roughly half of this total; residential charging infrastructure proposed by SDG&E and "FleetReady Make Ready Infrastructure" proposed by PG&E round out the largest-ticket items. Other projects include electrification of cranes and forklifts at ports, terminal yards, and airports.
The cases remain pending before the Commission, with evidentiary hearings held earlier this month. Other cases before the Commission address proposals by three smaller utilities.
Energy powers society; society's choices shape energy policy. A blog about our energy resources and the choices they present for society.
Showing posts with label SCE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SCE. Show all posts
North America's largest battery energy storage online
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
A California public utility has brought the largest battery energy storage in North America online. Funded partially by federal stimulus funds, Southern California Edison's Tehachapi Wind Energy Storage Project is designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of large-scale battery storage systems.
Southern California Edison Company is the largest electricity supply company in Southern California. As part of the U.S. Department of Energy's implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the utility won funding to develop a major battery energy storage system (or BESS). The Tehachapi Wind Energy Storage project consists of an array of lithium-ion batteries capable of storing 32 megawatt-hours, deliverable as an 8 megawatt stream of energy for 4 hours. The LG Chem batteries rely on the same lithium-ion cells installed in battery packs for General Motors’ Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle, and feature 608,832 individual battery cells arrayed in 10,872 battery modules and 604 battery racks. Along with two 4MW/4.5MVA smart inverters, the project will be housed in a 6,300 square foot facility sited at SCE's existing Monolith substation.
Of the project's $49,956,528 total budget, half will be paid for by SCE, while federal funds will cover $24,978,264. In return, the project will examine whether and how the battery energy storage system improves grid performance and helps integrate wind and other large-scale variable energy resourced generation. Project performance will be measured by 13 specific operational uses, most of which either shift other generation resources to meet peak load and other electricity system needs with stored electricity, or resolve grid stability and capacity concerns that result from the interconnection of variable energy resources. These uses include: providing voltage support and grid stabilization; decreasing transmission losses; diminishing congestion; increasing system reliability; deferring transmission investment; optimizing renewable-related transmission; providing system capacity and resources adequacy; integrating renewable energy (smoothing); shifting wind generation output; frequency regulation; spin/non-spin replacement reserves; ramp management; and energy price arbitrage. In addition, the project will demonstrate how lithium-ion battery storage can provide nearly instantaneous back-up capacity, minimizing the need for fossil fuel-powered back-up generation.
Between technological advances and a series of recent policy decisions, battery energy storage could be poised for rapid growth. For example, in 2011 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued Order No. 755, requiring the grid operators in organized markets to compensate battery energy storage systems and other fast-ramping frequency regulation resources based on the actual service they provide. Last year's Order No. 784 required public utilities to take into account the speed and accuracy of regulation resources such as batteries. Meanwhile, batteries are hoped to help balance into the grid large amounts of energy from intermittent renewable resources such as solar and wind projects.
After two years, the Tehachapi Wind Energy Storage Project will have completed its initial demonstration run. Will the project lead to greater deployment of battery energy storage systems in the U.S.?
Southern California Edison Company is the largest electricity supply company in Southern California. As part of the U.S. Department of Energy's implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the utility won funding to develop a major battery energy storage system (or BESS). The Tehachapi Wind Energy Storage project consists of an array of lithium-ion batteries capable of storing 32 megawatt-hours, deliverable as an 8 megawatt stream of energy for 4 hours. The LG Chem batteries rely on the same lithium-ion cells installed in battery packs for General Motors’ Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle, and feature 608,832 individual battery cells arrayed in 10,872 battery modules and 604 battery racks. Along with two 4MW/4.5MVA smart inverters, the project will be housed in a 6,300 square foot facility sited at SCE's existing Monolith substation.
Of the project's $49,956,528 total budget, half will be paid for by SCE, while federal funds will cover $24,978,264. In return, the project will examine whether and how the battery energy storage system improves grid performance and helps integrate wind and other large-scale variable energy resourced generation. Project performance will be measured by 13 specific operational uses, most of which either shift other generation resources to meet peak load and other electricity system needs with stored electricity, or resolve grid stability and capacity concerns that result from the interconnection of variable energy resources. These uses include: providing voltage support and grid stabilization; decreasing transmission losses; diminishing congestion; increasing system reliability; deferring transmission investment; optimizing renewable-related transmission; providing system capacity and resources adequacy; integrating renewable energy (smoothing); shifting wind generation output; frequency regulation; spin/non-spin replacement reserves; ramp management; and energy price arbitrage. In addition, the project will demonstrate how lithium-ion battery storage can provide nearly instantaneous back-up capacity, minimizing the need for fossil fuel-powered back-up generation.
Between technological advances and a series of recent policy decisions, battery energy storage could be poised for rapid growth. For example, in 2011 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued Order No. 755, requiring the grid operators in organized markets to compensate battery energy storage systems and other fast-ramping frequency regulation resources based on the actual service they provide. Last year's Order No. 784 required public utilities to take into account the speed and accuracy of regulation resources such as batteries. Meanwhile, batteries are hoped to help balance into the grid large amounts of energy from intermittent renewable resources such as solar and wind projects.
After two years, the Tehachapi Wind Energy Storage Project will have completed its initial demonstration run. Will the project lead to greater deployment of battery energy storage systems in the U.S.?
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