California’s Battery Storage Fleet Continues Document Development, Strengthening Grid Reliability

For Immediate Release: Nov 13, 2025

SACRAMENTO — At the UN Climate Change Conference in Brazil, Governor Gavin Newsom introduced that California has reached 16,942 megawatts (MW) of battery storage out there — an enormous buildout that’s redefining grid reliability and accelerating the state’s transition to 100% clear power. 

The new whole marks a rise of about 1,200 MW up to now six months and a 2,100% surge in storage capability since Gov. Newsom took workplace in 2019. California has now constructed one-third of the storage capability estimated to be wanted by 2045 to succeed in its clear power objectives. 

Gov. Newsom additionally introduced at present that California is becoming a member of the Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge, a COP initiative now backed by greater than 100 international locations and organizations. California would be the first subnational to affix the pledge, which units international targets to deploy 1,500 gigawatts of power storage, double worldwide grid investments, and construct 25 million kilometers of recent transmission infrastructure by 2030 — important actions to ship on the tripling of renewables agreed to at COP28.

“Donald Trump’s reckless energy agenda puts China first and America last — letting Beijing seize the global clean energy economy and the good-paying jobs, manufacturing, and economic prosperity that come with it. California won’t stand by and watch,” Gov. Newsom stated. “While Donald Trump is failing, the Golden State is leading. We’re deploying more battery storage than any state in America, building a stronger grid, cutting pollution, and making abundant clean energy even more affordable.”

Battery storage acts as a crucial bridge between clear power and reliability. By capturing extra photo voltaic and wind energy when it’s plentiful and releasing it when demand peaks, batteries maintain the grid steady and make it potential to depend on renewable power across the clock. California has now gone three years in a row with out calling a Flex Alert for voluntary conservation – a testomony to constructing the state’s robust battery storage fleet.

Of California’s whole power storage capability, 13,880 MW come from massive utility-scale initiatives, whereas the remainder is from behind-the-meter battery programs put in on greater than 200,000 properties (2,213 MW) and companies, faculties and native authorities services (849 MW). These smaller programs collectively account for a big useful resource that may scale back demand throughout high-use intervals, offering new methods to maintain the grid balanced in actual time.

California has extra put in battery capability than each different jurisdiction on the planet aside from China. Within the United States, California leads all states on put in storage capability, adopted by Texas with roughly 9,000 MW. 

While the Trump administration has repeatedly dismissed clear power as unreliable and too costly, California is proving in any other case. Clean energy is now the cheapest source of electricity technology globally and the price of battery storage has fallen by 93% since 2010. 

“These systems are proving every day that a clean energy grid can be both clean and reliable, and that California’s investments are delivering results,” stated California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild. 

“California is showcasing how to cost-effectively plan for and build our clean energy future,” stated California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) President Alice Reynolds. “The state is setting the standard for deploying storage resources to complement a grid increasingly powered by renewable energy. It’s a smart way to manage electricity costs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change.” 

Battery storage has already modified how California weathers excessive warmth and demand surges. When unprecedented heatwaves hit the state in 2020 and 2022, it uncovered the necessity for extra versatile power assets. State companies, utilities and grid operators coordinated efforts to assist procure and deploy extra battery storage as shortly as potential. 

Those investments are paying off. The state has not issued a Flex Alert — an emergency name for public electrical energy conservation — since 2022. Battery storage has allowed the grid to trip by record-breaking warmth and excessive climate with out outages. In reality, the summer time of 2024 was California’s hottest on file in line with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but the grid held robust with zero flex alerts issued.

Battery programs now present sufficient capability to fulfill the equal of roughly one-quarter of California’s file peak demand for a number of hours. 

Safe growth and operation of battery storage programs has been, and stays, a prime precedence for California power companies. Last September, Gov. Newsom created a cross-agency collaborative to enhance security as expertise continues evolving. Key initiatives embody an replace to the California Fire Code occurring this yr, anticipated to incorporate enhanced BESS security requirements. The (CPUC) voted in March to require new security protocols for the upkeep and operation of BESS services. And the Governor just lately signed Senate Bill 283, which would require battery storage builders to have interaction with native hearth authorities to deal with facility design, assess dangers, and combine emergency response plans. These and different ongoing efforts are based mostly on the most recent research and session with consultants to maintain California on the forefront of secure and dependable battery storage expertise deployment. 

Battery power storage programs have an more and more robust security file. While just a few high-profile fires have drawn consideration, such incidents stay extraordinarily uncommon in comparison with the 1000’s of programs deployed worldwide. Construction requirements have advanced, with present battery storage items constructed exterior with fireproof panels separating battery packs and sturdy warmth sensing expertise put in for early detection of potential hearth threat. 

The fast enlargement of California battery storage is central to its technique for reaching the aim of 100% clear electrical energy by 2045. Renewable power already provides almost 67 p.c of in-state retail electrical energy gross sales, and California continues to retire fossil-fuel vegetation and can get rid of coal energy from its electrical energy combine by the tip of this yr. The California Independent System Operator — which serves roughly 80 p.c of the state’s electrical energy customers — has, on common, met demand with 100% clear power for almost six hours daily to date this yr.

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About the California Energy Commission   
The California Energy Commission is the state’s major power coverage and planning company. It has seven core tasks: advancing state power coverage, encouraging power effectivity, certifying thermal energy vegetation, investing in power innovation, growing renewable power, remodeling transportation, and making ready for power emergencies.