Gas peaking stations became a popular way to supplement coal-power operations, because they have lighter carbon footprints. They are also a cheaper solution than having more-capital-intensive coal-power standing idle outside peaks. In those days, energy storage was only in the minds of visionaries, but the wheel has turned again. Now we have batteries turning peaking stations to hybrids.
California Policy Encourages Battery Peaking Stations
California adopted a resource-adequacy policy aimed at ensuring sufficient electricity in 2004. This measure has inspired a number of innovative power generation ideas according to Power Mag. The two main thrusts of the program continue to be:
- Ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the grid in real-time as needed.
- Incentivizing the siting and construction of new resources for future stability.
A variety of pioneering responses have met this need. However in this instance, we are especially interested in the conversion of a natural gas-fired peaker plant into an energy storage hybrid.
Batteries Turn Fresno Peaking Station into Storage Hybrid
The Fresno Hybrid project in Fresno County, California is an interesting concept, in that it enables an existing 48-megawatt gas-fired plant to burn less fossil fuel. This makes the additional 16 MW battery energy storage a transition one in the overall plan to decarbonize California completely. The major benefits are as follows, according to Power Mag:
- Local air quality has improved, thanks to up to 78% fewer particulate emissions.
- Peaker plant reliability is up, due to battery storage reducing operating time.
- Greater overall plant reliability complements existing wind and solar arrays.
When batteries turn peaking stations into hybrids in this way, it delivers greater reliability than either technology could deliver on their own. The project should also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 60%, and water usage by as much as 80%. This seems like a winning solution that is hard to fault!
More Information
Peaking Gas Teams Batteries at Edison
