Redflow Batteries Chosen for California Solar+Storage Project
The California Energy Commission (CEC) has granted funding and approval for Redflow’s scalable flow batteries to be utilized in a large-scale solar+storage project that will provide power for the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians in Northern California.
The 20 MWh system will be one of the largest zinc-based battery projects in the world and the largest single sale and deployment of batteries globally to date for Redflow, a clean energy storage company based in Australia.
With this new project, Redflow joins a small number of commercially proven non-lithium storage providers that the CEC is funding, as it compiles a robust portfolio of long-duration energy storage projects. The projects represent a key step to help address an estimated 45-55 GW of long-duration energy storage required in California by 2045 to support grid reliability and the state’s clean energy transition targets.
The project will be funded by the CEC’s $140 million long-duration energy storage grant program focused on enabling commercially proven non-lithium energy storage technologies to scale. This follows the 2 MWh system in California that Redflow installed for Anaergia in 2022 that has been successfully operating for more than a year.
“This 20 MWh project is one of several large-scale opportunities in our pipeline and represents the next phase of our growth strategy, validating our focus on large-scale systems in the U.S. and Australia,” says Tim Harris, Redflow CEO and managing director. “For this project, Redflow’s battery system is designed to charge from solar and discharge throughout the remainder of the day, reducing grid demand and boosting energy security.”
CEC-funded long-duration energy storage projects have often been deployed to benefit underserved communities while helping the state address grid stability and resiliency in extreme weather conditions.
This solar+storage microgrid will enable the Paskenta Tribe to power operations of the Paskenta Rancheria (its small reservation) using a sustainable, resilient renewable energy solution. The project is part of the Tribe’s efforts to achieve greater energy sovereignty through control over their own energy resources, reduce fossil fuel consumption and assert responsible land stewardship. Faraday Microgrids, a California developer and contractor that has deployed a number of CEC grant-funded microgrid projects, is the grant recipient and project lead.
Redflow will supply 2,000 ZBM3 batteries in its 200 kWh modular energy pods for delivery in 2023 and 2024. Redflow’s zinc-bromine flow technology is capable of providing up to 12 hours of flexible energy capacity for both commercial and utility-scale energy storage applications.
The overall project and budget allocated to Redflow has been formally approved by the California Energy Commission. Faraday Microgrids has signed a definitive supply agreement with Redflow covering battery supply and technical support for the project. Faraday Microgrids expects project agreements to be formalized and a notice to commence issued to Redflow in July 2023.
Image courtesy of Redflow