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The Golden State set multiple clean energy records in April, with solar power increasingly dominating the grid, supported by robust energy storage solutions.
Image: White Pine Renewables
California''s recent strides in emission-free electricity and energy storage have garnered global attention, from top-tier publications to outlets on the other side of the globe.
According to data from the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) and record keeping by Stanford Professor Marc Jacobson, "for 45 days straight and 69 of 75, California #WindWaterSolar (electricity) supply has exceeded demand part of each day. On May 20, (supply exceeded demand for) 7.58 h, peaking at 135.4% of demand. On average over 75 days, WWS>demand for 5.3 h/day."
This performance is bolstered by the extensive use of batteries during the evening electricity peak demand period. As seen in the chart above, the batteries (seen in dark blue) play a crucial role during these ramping periods.
Essentially, the engineers managing California''s power grid have adapted to harness inherently unpredictable power sources.
When it comes to solar, these impressive figures still underestimate the impact of sunlight. This is because they only account for utility-scale generation, with rooftop and behind-the-meter projects contributing an additional 15 GW of capacity worth of electricity – almost equal to utility scale capacity.
For utility-scale supplied solar power, April in CAISO showcased an impressive performance. Generally, April is the third-highest month for solar as a percentage of all electricity, per data from pv magazine USA''s 50 States of Solar report.
However, this past April, the instantaneous "All-Time Max Demand" record was broken four times, rising from an 80.4% record set in April of 2022, to a new record of 97.5% on April 20th this year.
This raises an interesting question: why did ''All Time Max Demand Served'' jump so significantly this year, especially after it had remained mostly static throughout 2023? It all boils down to increased battery capacity, which has allowed solar to expand its influence more effectively. Notably, we recently saw utility-scale battery capacity surpass 8 GW, which has now began to offset the evening peak demand periods.
Since the electricity for these batteries primarily comes from solar power, perhaps we should also consider that solar is meeting the evening peak demand?
pv magazine USA conducted an analysis of CAISO generation data and discovered that on April 21, solar electricity actually peaked at more than 123% of total electricity generation.
Solar can supply more than 100% of demand due to the net effect of batteries charging. On this date, solar also accounted for almost 38% of all electricity generated within the CAISO region, marking the peak value for the month. Additionally, the following day, CAISO recorded a new high for peak solar output at 18,374 MW.
According to gridstatus.io, April 21st also marked a new record for battery output at 10:10 p.m., reaching 6,458 MW. This record has since been surpassed multiple times, with the current peak now at 7,528 MW. This record is expected to continue to grow as more utility-scale energy storage is deployed this year.
Over the entire month of April, solar was the largest source of electricity by far, contributing just over 31%. In total, solar combined with hydro, wind, nuclear, and geothermal provided almost 70% of the electricity, with methane generating 19%. Given that imports historically are historically 50% emission-free, this would put the total emission-free electricity used in California in April at approximately 75%.
Great article John. It’s been a fine morning for learning. Thanks.
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California has given America a glimpse at what running one of the world''s largest economies on renewable energy might look like.
The state recently hit a milestone: 100 days this year with 100% carbon-free, renewable electricity for at least a part of each day, as tracked by Stanford University engineering Professor Mark Z. Jacobson.
The state notched the milestone while — so far — avoiding blackouts and emergency power reductions this year, even with the hottest July on record.
That progress is largely due to the substantial public and private investments in renewable energy — particularly batteries storing solar power to use when the sun isn''t shining, according to energy experts.
"California has made unprecedented investments in our power grid in recent years — and we''re seeing them pay off in real time," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement to CalMatters. "Not only is our grid more reliable and resilient, it''s also increasingly running on 100% clean electricity."
The state faces a huge challenge in coming years: A series of mandates will require carbon-free energy while also putting more electric cars on roads and electric appliances in homes. California, under state law, must run on 60% renewable energy by 2030, ramping up to 100% by 2045.
Signs of progress are emerging. From January to mid-July of this year, zero-carbon, renewable energy exceeded demand in California for 945 hours during 146 days — equivalent to a month-and-a-half of 100% fossil-fuel-free electricity, according to the California Energy Commission, the state agency tasked with carrying out the clean energy mandates.
But California still has a long way to go to stop burning fossil fuels for electricity. Natural gas, which emits greenhouse gases and air pollutants, remains its single largest source of electricity.
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