U.S. Battery-Storage Market Revs Up with Summer Kickoffs

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Demand for energy-storage capacity is not slowing down in the U.S., where utility-scale battery-storage capacity is expected to reach 30 gigawatts (GW) by the end of 2025, via 20.8 GW of additions, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Industrial Info is tracking nearly $6 billion worth of active battery energy-storage system (BESS) projects set to begin construction across the U.S. in the third quarter of 2023, with unit additions at existing power-generation facilities accounting for nearly half of the total investment value.

Click on the image at right for a graph detailing the top 10 parent companies for U.S. BESS projects set to kick off from July through September, by total investment value.

The California Independent System Operator (CISO) accounts for nearly half of the existing U.S. battery-storage capacity. Although California trails Arizona, Texas and Nevada in third-quarter BESS kickoffs, according to Industrial Info's database, it is expected to see preliminary work begin on two major expansions: Consolidated Edison Incorporated's (NYSE:ED) (New York, New York) $35 million Phase II expansion of the Westside Canal Battery Storage Complex in El Centro, which is expected to double capacity at the BESS complex to 800 megawatts (MW), and Origis Energy's (Miami, Florida) $30 million BESS addition at the Chalan Solar Farm in Avenal. Subscribers can learn more from detailed reports on the Westside Canal and Chalan Solar projects.

Arizona's leading position in third-quarter BESS kickoffs is fueled largely by its strong solar-energy market, in which the state carries solar-generated energy from some of its hottest, most arid areas to major population centers in the region, including Phoenix and Los Angeles. One such project, Harquahala Sun near Tonopah, Arizona, could begin construction as early as the third quarter and would comprise a 150-MW solar farm and a BESS unit. Energy from the facility would be distributed across 125 miles via the Ten West Link transmission line, which began construction in January, terminating in Blythe, California. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report, and can click here for a list of projects related to Ten West Link.

Texas expects to see construction begin on a pair of stand-alone BESS projects from Broad Reach Power LLC (Houston, Texas), a utility-scale independent power producer: the $220 million Paleo BESS in Abernathy, which is designed for 200 MW, and the $200 million BRP Pavo BESS in Fort Stockton, which is designed for about 177 MW. Broad Reach is among many energy-storage companies that have found success in pitching security to customers amid fluctuating electricity prices. Subscribers can read detailed reports on the Paleo and BRP Pavo projects.

Such stand-alone BESS projects likely will be needed in Texas for years to come, as the state's power grid is increasingly stressed during the summer months and renewable-energy producers are under growing pressure to prove they can contribute to the solution. For more information, see May 11, 2023, article - Texans May Face 'Extreme' Power Conditions this Summer.

Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated (NYSE:BRK.A) (Omaha, Nebraska), which has been expanding its role in low-to-zero-carbon technology for more than a decade, is pursuing its own stand-alone BESS project through subsidiary NV Energy Incorporated: the $217 million Reid Gardner BESS in Moapa, Nevada, which has an expected capacity of 220 MW. It is being built on the site of a now-demolished coal-fired power plant. Subscribers can learn more from Industrial Info's detailed project report.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI project and plant databases can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.

Subscribers can click here for a full list of reports for BESS projects across the U.S. that are set to begin construction from July through September.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).