ESS Tech, Inc. has completed commissioning of six Energy Warehouse systems delivered to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), the nation’s sixth-largest community-owned electric service provider.
The six Energy Warehouse systems represent the first delivery under a framework agreement first announced in September 2022. Under that agreement, ESS will deliver up to 200 megawatts (MW) / 2 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of iron flow LDES systems to SMUD. Once fully operational and paired with renewable energy, 2 GWh of iron flow battery systems are expected to enable the elimination of approximately 284,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year from SMUD’s system. With the arrival of the units, SMUD prepares for the next phases of integrating the system into its expansive clean power portfolio. Once operational, SMUD will also train staff on utility-scale applications and clean energy dispatch of long-duration battery systems.
ESS technology directly supports the utility’s 2030 Clean Energy Vision by enabling increased utilization of renewable energy, providing neighborhood resiliency, and promoting social justice and equity with safe and sustainable energy storage infrastructure and reduced emissions.
"SMUD is on a bold journey to eliminate all carbon emissions from our power supply by 2030 without compromising our world class reliability and rates that are consistently among the lowest in California,” said Paul Lau, CEO & General Manager of SMUD. “We’re excited to embrace cutting-edge technologies, including through our partnership with ESS, to deliver and grow long-duration energy storage. In addition to accelerating our transition to a clean energy future, this partnership and technology will spur economic development, equitable access to clean energy and a brighter future for the entire Sacramento region.”
With up to 10 hours of flexible energy capacity, ESS technology provides cost-effective, resilient and sustainable energy storage well-suited to multiple use cases including utility-scale renewable energy installations, solar + storage microgrids, grid load-shifting and peak shaving, and other ancillary grid services. ESS systems are safe and sustainable and can be deployed in populated areas without the risks associated with other storage technologies.
In addition to deploying critical energy storage technology, ESS and SMUD plan to establish a Center of Excellence (COE) for energy storage manufacturing in Sacramento. The COE will be established in partnership with local educational institutions and will provide workforce training and support economic development in the greater Sacramento region.
