SES Power: The world's top six grid-scale battery energy storage  systems

　　With technological breakthroughs and exponentially increasing demand, the  cost of lithium-ion batteries continues to drop, and grid-scale lithium-ion  battery energy storage systems are also being deployed at an accelerated  pace.

　　One argument against renewable energy is that it is unstable - wind power  only works when the wind is blowing, and solar panels only produce electricity  during the day. This is where Electrical Energy Storage (EES) comes into play,  storing energy as it is produced and returning it when needed.

　　Traditional methods of pumped hydropower rely on two connected reservoirs  located at different levels. When the sun shines or the wind blows, renewable  energy is used to pump water from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir,  effectively storing energy. At night or when demand is high, the water in the  upper reservoir flows downwards, and the water flowing back to the lower  reservoir is passed through turbines to generate electricity. Pumped hydro is  the largest form of grid energy storage, accounting for 95% of installed grid  energy storage globally.

　　The problem with reservoir hydraulics is that the reservoir requires a lot  of space, which can have environmental and social impacts. Another approach is  to store energy in batteries through electrochemical energy technology.

　　For a long time, the cost of battery storage for renewable energy was  considered prohibitive. In fact, a decade ago, lithium-ion batteries cost around  $1,200/kWh. Today, the cost of batteries has fallen to $150/kWh to $200/kWh, and  by 2025, the cost of batteries could be less than $100/kWh.

　　Falling costs have made lithium-ion batteries a practical method for  storing renewable resources and the development of hyperscale storage systems.  These modern EES systems feature a megawatt (MW) rating and a megawatt hour  (MWh) energy storage capacity. In 2021, there are 1,363 energy storage projects  in operation around the world, and 11 projects are under construction. 40% of  the operating projects are located in the United States. California ranks first  in the United States with 215 energy storage operating projects, followed by  Hawaii, New York, and Texas.

　　As SES Power with nearly two decades of experience in customizing  lithium-ion battery system integration, we have extensive experience in the  field of lithium-ion battery energy storage systems. In the process of designing  a lithium battery energy storage system, the infrastructure is not the most  important, the most important thing is the compatibility, high speed and  reliability of the hardware system and the software system. Our off-grid,  grid-connected, off-grid small and medium-sized energy storage systems, such as  12V100Ah, 24V100Ah, 36V100Ah, 48V100Ah using EVE, CATL, BYD square  aluminum-shell lithium iron phosphate batteries, and home energy storage systems  of 3KW and 5KW , rack-mounted energy storage system and other products, with  standard RS485, CAN and other communication protocols, support remote monitoring  and operation, and add AI intelligent analysis and cloud storage to the new  generation of systems, which can ensure system compatibility, high-speed,  reliable.

　　The following is a brief introduction to the world's six major grid storage  systems by SES Power:

　　Vistra Moss Landing

　　Monterey County, California

　　1600 MWh/400 MW

　　This is the world's largest grid-scale lithium-ion battery energy storage  system. The Moss Landing energy storage station has been producing electricity  since 1950 and was at one time the largest power station in California. In 2018,  the power station launched a 300 MW/1,200 MWh battery storage project, with the  first phase starting operations in 2020.

　　Phase two has since added another 100 MW/400 MWh of capacity, with plans  announced in 2022 for an additional 350 MW/1,400 MWh in 2023. The second phase  is not without problems, and some battery energy storage systems occasionally  need to be temporarily shut down due to overheating.

　　Manatee Energy Storage Center

　　Manatee County, Florida

　　900 MWh/409 MW

　　The first battery modules will be installed at the Manatee Energy Storage  Center in 2021 by Florida Power & Light (FPL) employees. The Manatee storage  facility is co-located with the existing solar power plant. The company will  decommission two natural gas plants as several smaller solar and energy storage  plants are completed. Saved utility customers $100 million in fuel and operating  costs over the life of the project.

　　So far, FPL said, 132 individual 38-ton battery containers and their  inverters have been installed, and more than 50,000 battery modules are being  installed on site. FPL aims to install an additional 700MW of battery storage  across its service areas between now and 2030.

　　Valley Center

　　San Diego County, California

　　560 MWh/140 MW

　　In early 2022, renewable energy project operator and developer Terra-Gen  will bring the Valley Center battery storage project online to provide clean  energy to the local grid.

　　The project has been built to provide 140 megawatts of electricity to the  local area for 4 hours to support the reliability and resiliency of the local  grid.

　　During construction of the San Diego County facility, the company moved in  53 20-ton and 40-ton battery enclosures before installing the lithium-ion  battery modules into the racks.

　　Victorian Big Battery

　　Victoria, Australia

　　450 MWh/300 MW

　　In 2017, what was once the world's largest lithium-ion battery grid-scale  energy storage was launched in Hornsdale, Australia. Pointing to the lack of  electricity due to renewable energy sources, Elon Musk has pledged to build the  100-megawatt facility in a tight time frame. Hornsdale's success has propelled  the entire lithium-ion grid energy storage industry in many ways.

　　Victorian Big Battery is a grid-connected battery storage facility located  near Geelong, Victoria, Australia. Construction will begin in early 2021 and the  battery system will be operational in December 2021. The Victorian Big Battery  consists of 212 Tesla Super Li-ion batteries, each with a capacity of up to 3  megawatts. The battery system is capable of storing enough electricity to power  one million Victorian homes for up to half an hour.

　　Alamitos Energy Center

　　long beach, California

　　400 MWh/100 MW

　　The Alamitos Energy Center (AES) was originally built in the 1950s to house  the natural gas power generation system. AES is the second largest power plant  in California. The AES battery energy storage system is the first stand-alone  battery energy storage system designed specifically to replace U.S. natural gas  power plants.

　　The AES Alamitos battery system not only provides power during times of  peak demand, but also supports grid modernization, increased integration of  renewable energy, and reduced costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The  system uses Advancion 5 lithium-ion battery storage technology from Fluence, a  joint venture between AES and Siemens.

　　The 100 MW/400 MWh of energy storage will allow the state to 'set aside'  renewable energy for use during peak times and reduce fossil fuel reliance by  releasing stored renewable energy to meet peak demand. This output is equivalent  to 22,000 local households using clean energy lighting during peak periods.

　　Saticoy BESS

　　Ventura County, California

　　400 MWh/100 MW

　　The Saticoy Electricity Storage System (BESS) took nine months to complete  and is due for completion in mid-2021. The power plant can store electricity to  power Oxnard throughout California for four hours, or Ventura County for half an  hour.

　　Saticoy BESS is equipped with 142 Tesla super battery packs, each battery  can store 3 MW, and the entire power plant can store about 100 MW/400 MWh of  electricity. Tesla super battery packs can be charged through the grid, store  energy during off-peak hours, and can be discharged to match power supply and  demand, improving grid stability and reliability.