A 6 MW/48 MWh Energy Storage Project Is Coming To Camp Pendleton, & Will Be Expanded Later – CleanTechnica

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Here at CleanTechnica, we have written previously about Camp Pendleton several times, and of particular note was the large solar power installation. Now comes another big story, although it’s about energy storage, not photovoltaics.

Typically in the US, energy storage projects that use batteries provide backup and pulses of electricity for about four hours. The new Camp Pendleton energy storage project is longer duration. That’s good news because obviously four hours of battery electricity, although helpful and potentially cleaner than having to use electricity from a natural gas peaker plant, is still only four hours. Energy storage will need to expand in duration to have more applications.

The first part of the Camp Pendleton energy storage project will be installing batteries with a 6 MW/48 MWh capacity, and that amount will be added to later.

California Energy Commission staff answered some questions about the project for CleanTechnica.

The release says the project will provide electricity to the statewide grid and backup power to the base for up to 14 days during power outages. Wouldn’t that be 6 MW for 48 MWh, not 14 days? Where does the 14 days come into the picture?

Although the system would be rated for an 8-hour discharge period, it could be discharged for a longer period. An 8-hour discharge is expected for “normal” operation when the system is providing power to the grid, while the 14-day requirement is the Department of Defense requirement under which the installation must have backup power for critical facilities during outages. This grant provides that capability for critical facilities at Camp Pendleton, and when fully built out to 400 MWh will provide that for the entire installation. 

Zinc hybrid cathode aqueous battery technology will be used. Why use that kind instead of lithium-ion or lithium iron phosphate?

This project is funded through California’s Long Duration Energy Storage program, for which the explicit statutory objective is to advance non-lithium-ion long-duration energy storage technologies. Zinc aqueous battery technology is eligible under this program. While lithium-ion batteries are – and will continue to be – an integral component of California’s progress toward its energy storage and overall clean energy commitments, non-lithium-ion batteries have several benefits relative to lithium-ion batteries. In general, these can include: 

• the absence of thermal runaway risks, increasing public safety and allowing batteries to be installed closer to inhabited areas
• lower levels of system degradation over time and longer lifetimes
• manufacturability with more abundant materials
• more economical scaling at higher system capacities and longer discharge durations
   

The deployment of the zinc-aqueous battery system at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton will seek to enhance the Base’s energy resilience in a safe and cost-effective manner.

When will the project be expanded to 50 MW/400 MWh?

Construction on the 50 MW/400 MWh will begin once the initial 6 MW/48 MWh is complete. We currently expect the 50 MW/400 MWh to be completed by June 2027.  

Does the base have its own solar power and, if so, how much?

The base does have its own solar installations. However, these solar installations are intended to support the base’s existing loads rather than to charge this battery system. Under normal conditions, the battery will be charged from the electric grid rather than on-site solar. During outages, solar may be used to charge the batteries in order to support critical loads for longer durations, but the amount of solar that would be dedicated to this use is left to the discretion of the base. 

What is the cost of installing the first 6 MW/48 MWh?

In the current market, the cost of non-lithium-ion long duration energy storage systems can be reasonably estimated at $1M for every 1 MWh, when considering the overall system costs, including site preparation, construction, all auxiliary materials and equipment, and labor costs, among others. However, each field installation is different, and the MCB Camp Pendleton project site will likely require additional costs; we expect the final cost of the initial 6 MW/48 MWh system to be approximately $70M. The CEC will provide $42M, while the remainder will be borne by the recipient, International Electric Power. 

About how many jobs will be created during the installation?

We expect this project to employ approximately 150 people during construction, and 5 people during operation.