Calif. CCAs sign 6,000 MW in long-term contracts with new-build clean energy resources

Public Power Daily

The California Community Choice Association on Nov. 12 reported that community choice aggregators in the state have to date signed long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) for more than 6,000 megawatts (MW) with new-build clean energy resources.

The total includes almost 5,000 MW in executed renewable energy PPAs, an increase of 1,700 MW compared to a year ago, and more than 1,000 MW in battery energy storage contracts, a four-fold increase over last year.

“The increasing volumes reflect the important leadership position CCAs hold as the main drivers of new clean energy procurement in California,” the association said in a news release.

Each November for the last three years, CalCCA has provided a snapshot of the progress CCAs are making in securing new-build clean energy resources through long-term PPAs. This year’s update shows CCAs have added in a single year a record-setting amount of clean energy to their portfolios while bringing more diverse resources to the mix.

CCAs have signed in the last year renewable energy and energy storage PPAs totaling 2,600 MW, bringing the total to more than 6,000 MW in new-build solar, wind, biogas, energy storage, and, for the first time, geothermal energy. The geothermal power plant, slated for completion in 2021, will be the first new geothermal facility built in the California Independent System Operator balancing area in 30 years.

Meanwhile, CalCCA said that energy storage is becoming an ever more important reliability resource. CCAs signed long-term battery energy storage contracts totaling 1,072 MW/3,847 megawatt-hours (MWh), quadruple the amount CCAs had at this time last year. About 72% of the total is co-located with solar generation facilities that will charge the batteries.

Read more here: https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/calif-ccas-sign-6000-mw-long-term-contracts-with-new-build-clean-energy-resources