Batteries during peak demand provide 43% of the power on California's grid

[Old Rocks]

Batteries are becoming a major part of California's grid, replacing expensive gas peaker plants. And the cost of the batteries continues to decline as the cost of solar does the same. A win-win for all.
"A few days ago, the electric grid in California hit a new milestone: At 7pm on March 29, batteries provided 12.3 gigawatts of power—roughly as much as six Hoover Dams, or around 43% of the total demand on the grid.

Nearly all of that battery storage was built in the last five years. “Until 2020 or 2021, battery storage was still quite expensive, but we’ve seen huge price drops over the last few years,” says Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember, a global energy think tank. When it’s paired with solar power, it can “bring some of that excess generation in the middle of the day to where it’s really needed, which is during the peak demand in the evening and morning,” he says.

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades. Over the last few years alone, the cost fell by about a third. The cost of solar panels has also fallen by more than 90%. By 2024, new solar projects were an average of 41% cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.

By using batteries to make use of extra solar power in the middle of the day in the evening, California’s grid, called CAISO, can rely less both on energy imported from other states as well as “peaker” gas plants that are used to meet peak demand. Those gas plants “are usually quite expensive,” says Fulghum. “And batteries can reduce the impact of those high power prices during that time, especially when you have a heat wave like we had a few weeks ago. That’s where they’re most effective at keeping prices down.” Gas electricity generation in the state is responsible for around 30 to 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year. Around half of the peaker plants are in low-income communities of color, where the air pollution contributes to health problems like asthma."

MSN

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Batteries are becoming a major part of California's grid, replacing expensive gas peaker plants. And the cost of the batteries continues to decline as the cost of solar does the same. A win-win for all.
"A few days ago, the electric grid in California hit a new milestone: At 7pm on March 29, batteries provided 12.3 gigawatts of power—roughly as much as six Hoover Dams, or around 43% of the total demand on the grid.

Nearly all of that battery storage was built in the last five years. “Until 2020 or 2021, battery storage was still quite expensive, but we’ve seen huge price drops over the last few years,” says Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember, a global energy think tank. When it’s paired with solar power, it can “bring some of that excess generation in the middle of the day to where it’s really needed, which is during the peak demand in the evening and morning,” he says.

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades. Over the last few years alone, the cost fell by about a third. The cost of solar panels has also fallen by more than 90%. By 2024, new solar projects were an average of 41% cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.

By using batteries to make use of extra solar power in the middle of the day in the evening, California’s grid, called CAISO, can rely less both on energy imported from other states as well as “peaker” gas plants that are used to meet peak demand. Those gas plants “are usually quite expensive,” says Fulghum. “And batteries can reduce the impact of those high power prices during that time, especially when you have a heat wave like we had a few weeks ago. That’s where they’re most effective at keeping prices down.” Gas electricity generation in the state is responsible for around 30 to 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year. Around half of the peaker plants are in low-income communities of color, where the air pollution contributes to health problems like asthma."

MSN

At 7pm on March 29, batteries provided 12.3 gigawatts of power—roughly as much as six Hoover Dams, or around 43% of the total demand on the grid.

For how long?

 

[mudwhistle]

Batteries are becoming a major part of California's grid, replacing expensive gas peaker plants. And the cost of the batteries continues to decline as the cost of solar does the same. A win-win for all.
"A few days ago, the electric grid in California hit a new milestone: At 7pm on March 29, batteries provided 12.3 gigawatts of power—roughly as much as six Hoover Dams, or around 43% of the total demand on the grid.

Nearly all of that battery storage was built in the last five years. “Until 2020 or 2021, battery storage was still quite expensive, but we’ve seen huge price drops over the last few years,” says Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember, a global energy think tank. When it’s paired with solar power, it can “bring some of that excess generation in the middle of the day to where it’s really needed, which is during the peak demand in the evening and morning,” he says.

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades. Over the last few years alone, the cost fell by about a third. The cost of solar panels has also fallen by more than 90%. By 2024, new solar projects were an average of 41% cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.

By using batteries to make use of extra solar power in the middle of the day in the evening, California’s grid, called CAISO, can rely less both on energy imported from other states as well as “peaker” gas plants that are used to meet peak demand. Those gas plants “are usually quite expensive,” says Fulghum. “And batteries can reduce the impact of those high power prices during that time, especially when you have a heat wave like we had a few weeks ago. That’s where they’re most effective at keeping prices down.” Gas electricity generation in the state is responsible for around 30 to 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year. Around half of the peaker plants are in low-income communities of color, where the air pollution contributes to health problems like asthma."

MSN

I love your way of thinking.

You want to replace oil with something that they need child-slave labor to dig out of the ground.

Lithium mining is
the extraction of lithium from brine (salty groundwater) or hard rock (spodumene ore) to meet surging demand for electric vehicle batteries, with major production in the South American "Lithium Triangle" and Australia. Brine extraction involves evaporating water over 18 months, while hard rock mining requires crushing ore, both processes having significant environmental impacts on water supply and ecosystems.
Primary Lithium Mining Methods:

• Brine Extraction: Prevalent in Chile and Argentina, this method pumps mineral-rich saltwater from underground reservoirs into massive, shallow ponds. The sun evaporates the water over 12-18 months, leaving behind concentrated lithium that is later processed into lithium carbonate.
  • Hard Rock Mining: Primarily used in Australia, this traditional mining method uses heavy machinery to drill, blast, and excavate pegmatite ore, specifically the mineral spodumene. The ore is then crushed and chemically processed to extract lithium.
  • Geothermal Brine Extraction: An emerging, more sustainable method that utilizes hot, salty water from geothermal energy production. It allows for nearly carbon-free extraction and generates electricity simultaneously.

Environmental and Social Impact:

• Water Scarcity: Brine extraction requires enormous quantities of water, which can deplete local aquifers, impacting local communities and ecosystems in arid areas.
• Contamination: Mining processes can cause chemical runoff and contaminate local water sources, threatening biodiversity.
• High Energy Use: Both methods, particularly hard rock mining, are energy-intensive, which can result in significant carbon emissions

 

[Concerned American]

Batteries are becoming a major part of California's grid, replacing expensive gas peaker plants. And the cost of the batteries continues to decline as the cost of solar does the same. A win-win for all.
"A few days ago, the electric grid in California hit a new milestone: At 7pm on March 29, batteries provided 12.3 gigawatts of power—roughly as much as six Hoover Dams, or around 43% of the total demand on the grid.

Nearly all of that battery storage was built in the last five years. “Until 2020 or 2021, battery storage was still quite expensive, but we’ve seen huge price drops over the last few years,” says Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember, a global energy think tank. When it’s paired with solar power, it can “bring some of that excess generation in the middle of the day to where it’s really needed, which is during the peak demand in the evening and morning,” he says.

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades. Over the last few years alone, the cost fell by about a third. The cost of solar panels has also fallen by more than 90%. By 2024, new solar projects were an average of 41% cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.

By using batteries to make use of extra solar power in the middle of the day in the evening, California’s grid, called CAISO, can rely less both on energy imported from other states as well as “peaker” gas plants that are used to meet peak demand. Those gas plants “are usually quite expensive,” says Fulghum. “And batteries can reduce the impact of those high power prices during that time, especially when you have a heat wave like we had a few weeks ago. That’s where they’re most effective at keeping prices down.” Gas electricity generation in the state is responsible for around 30 to 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year. Around half of the peaker plants are in low-income communities of color, where the air pollution contributes to health problems like asthma."

MSN

Gee, are we supposed to be impressed? This is the mildest part of the year in CA. LOL, I will be anxious to see what happens when the peak demand includes AC in every home. LOL.

 

[toobfreak]

Batteries during peak demand provide 43% of the power on California's grid​

And look at that: California has by far also the highest electric rates in the country!

In fact, one might say the bluer the state, the higher the electric rates.
Here's a little news for ya, Boobala--- you're an environmental wannabe pretend climatologist, whereas I worked for years as an actual electrical engineer, and I can tell you that if as demands goes up, CA switches over to more "green energy" (environmentally-derived battery-stored DC power), then I can assure you that CA is headed for a major meltdown. That arrangement makes for a very unstable power grid and so far, their main saving grace has been that peak demand so far generally occurs during daytime.

Until 2020 or 2021, battery storage was still quite expensive, but we’ve seen huge price drops over the last few years,

And the biggest reason for that is after several years of Biden ramping up battery production, demand for them has fallen off because no one wants them forcing suppliers to drop prices trying to stay competitive.

The cost of batteries has dropped 99% over the last three decades.

Meaningless. Not only were no one buying EVs in 1991 paying $600,000 for their car battery but the data is a fraud, first charting prices from $2000 to $5000 in the same unit demarcation as a mere $100 jump at bottom in order to make the rate of falling prices look bigger than it really is.

And that still doesn't address the matter that all products drop in price as manufacturing quality and volume efficiency go up, especially when the government is trying to MAKE sales of EVs go up, not due to some magical change in the batteries themselves.