"As of July 1, total battery storage on the grid had increased to 5,600 MW," California's grid operator said.
The 5,000 MW of lithium-ion battery capacity can provide enough electricity to power approximately 3.8 million homes for up to four hours before the batteries need to be recharged, the ISO added.
The batteries being added are charged during the day when solar power is adequate, and dispatched in the evening hours when demand is still strong, the power grid operator noted.
"Just three years ago, we had about 500 MW on the grid," said Elliot Mainzer, CEO of the ISO, said in a release.
With the state experiencing more frequent climate extremes, it is essential to invest in technologies like energy storage in order to reliably provide power, Mainzer said.
