The AES Corp. has commenced operations of the Alamitos battery energy storage system (BESS), one of the world's largest battery storage systems in operation today. The BESS, a standalone energy storage facility for local capacity, will provide up to 400 MWh of energy to ensure greener, smarter, and more reliable power to Southern California Edison (SCE) customers, while also helping the State of California meet its sustainability goal of 100% carbon-free energy by 2045.
“With the commissioning of the Alamitos BESS, the State of California moves closer to its goal of a more sustainable and reliable energy future. The AES is proud to work together with the SCE to accelerate the adoption of this greener, smarter energy technology," said Mark Miller, AES market business leader for California and AES Southland general manager.
The AES Alamitos BESS is contracted under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the SCE and is located at the AES Alamitos Energy Center. It will provide Southern California with reliable power during times of peak demand, while also supporting a cleaner energy future for SCE customers by enabling increased integration of renewable energy.
"The SCE sees a growing role for battery storage as California transitions to 100% clean renewable energy," said William Walsh, SCE vice president of energy procurement and management. "Battery storage will help integrate wind and solar resources into our grid and improve reliability."
The BESS technology at the Alamitos facility includes Advancion 5 batteries provided by Fluence, an AES and Siemens joint venture. When fully charged, the batteries supply power to tens of thousands of homes in milliseconds.
"Energy storage is the linchpin of a modern, resilient, and sustainable electric grid," said John Zahurancik, Fluence's chief operating officer. "Working with innovative power sector leaders like the SCE and the AES, Fluence is proud to deliver our advanced technologies to supply critical local power capacity in a mature urban area where it is most needed to bring clean, reliable, and affordable power to homes and businesses in Southern California."
As California moves forward with its transition to a greener energy future, renewables and energy storage will play a central role in the electricity generation mix across the state. The AES recently announced the merger of sPower, a solar energy provider, into its AES Clean Energy business. AES Clean Energy now manages projects that are operational, under construction, and under development, including the operation of approximately 2.5 GW of renewable projects with nearly half located in California and a contracted 2.6-GW pipeline nationwide with almost 20% of those projects in California.
