California’s battery storage capacity has expanded rapidly, increasing by 3,012 megawatts in just six months to reach a total of 13,391 MW, the Office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom reported on Oct. 15.
This growth marks a 30% increase since April 2024, “underscoring the state’s swift progress in building out clean energy infrastructure, especially during a summer marked by record-breaking heat,” Newsom’s office said.
Within the past five years, California has grown its battery storage capacity by more than 15 times, up from just 770 MW in 2019. To put this progress into perspective, it took the state nearly five years to reach 10,000 MW in early 2024 but just six months to add the most recent 3,000 MW.
Deploying battery storage is a critical component of the state’s climate and clean energy goals, Newsom's office noted.
The state is projected to need 52,000 MW of energy storage capacity by 2045. Today, it’s a quarter of the way there.
Strengthening grid stability and clean energy resources
The recent surge in battery storage has significantly enhanced California’s ability to maintain grid stability during extreme weather.
Throughout the summer of 2024, battery storage reliably discharged to support the grid during the net peak hours.
Battery storage discharge to the grid increased from 6,000 MW this spring to more than 8,000 MW this summer.
Programs like the California Energy Commission’s Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) are also playing a crucial role in grid reliability. This summer the program reached 515 MW of capacity to reduce grid stress during extreme conditions. The program includes one of the largest storage virtual power plants in the world with a capacity exceeding 200 MW.
California Clean Energy Record
Meanwhile, the state continues to set clean energy records.
From January through September, clean energy supply equaled or exceeded demand in the California Independent System Operator service area for 1,084 hours over 179 different days. In August, solar energy serving the grid reached a new peak of 19,600 MW.
Newsom "has committed billions of dollars to accelerate clean energy infrastructure development across the state and it is making an impact, helping to fast-track projects needed to meet California’s climate and energy goals," his office said.
