California Flats is a vast 2900-acre area in central California equipped with numerous solar panels. The energy produced here is directly stored in on-site batteries. This project is known as the California Flats Solar-plus-Storage Project, managed by the Hearst Corporation.
Renewable energy companies have long grappled with efficiently storing massive amounts of energy for future use. Batteries offer a promising solution to this challenge. In California, the capacity for grid-scale battery storage has expanded significantly. It now holds enough power to supply millions of homes for a few hours. On many days, battery energy is the second-largest power source in the state.
The rapid growth of battery technology is reshaping energy storage methods. Cooper Katz McKim, a producer from The Indicator from Planet Money, discusses these developments in a dedicated three-part series on batteries.
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