Glendale Water & Power (GWP) recently joined the California Energy Storage Alliance (CESA) to develop, support, and promote clean energy technologies and policies. The CESA is a nonprofit membership-based advocacy group committed to advancing the role of energy storage in the electric power sector through policy, education, outreach, and research.
Last year, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 100, making California the largest state to set a zero-emission electricity target. SB 100 mandates 100% zero-emission electricity by 2045, with 60% of electricity to come from renewable resources by 2030. This bill puts utilities into motion to look into and implement cleaner technologies.
In July 2019, the GWP received approval from the Glendale City Council to move forward with a plan to repower the aging Grayson Power Plant with a combination of renewable energy resources, energy storage, and a limited amount of thermal generation. The plan includes a 75-MW, 300-MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), as much as 50 MW of distributed energy resources (DERs) that include solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, energy efficiency and demand response programs, and 93 MW of thermal generation from up to five internal combustion engines.
CESA membership provides the GWP the tools to educate and influence key stakeholders, access industry experts, network, build partnerships, and develop new business opportunities. “We became members of the CESA to help shape the future of energy storage and transition to a 100% clean energy future,” said Steve Zurn, general manager of the GWP.
The CESA’s mission is to make energy storage a mainstream resource in helping to advance a more affordable, cleaner, efficient, and reliable electric power system for all Californians.
