California energy officials on Tuesday approved a large-scale battery project, celebrating its potential to help the state meet its renewable energy goals and improve grid reliability.
What happened: The California Energy Commission green-lighted the Potentia-Viridi Battery Energy Storage System, a 400-megawatt Alameda County battery project backed by developer Clearway Energy Group.
Why it matters: The Newsom administration has made the construction of utility-scale batteries a centerpiece of its clean energy goals. They work by storing excess electricity produced by the state’s solar panels during the day and discharging it when the sun goes down.
“It’s decarbonizing the grid … it’s been a great facilitator for renewables,” CEC Chair David Hochschild said during the Tuesday meeting before casting a vote in favor of the project.
