California's $600M Battery Project Will Power 321,000 Homes by 2027
Arevon is building a big new battery project just south of San Francisco, designed to keep the lights on when demand spikes.
The renewable energy developer has started construction on the 250 megawatt (MW)/1,000 megawatt-hour (MWh) Cormorant Energy Storage Project in Daly City, California. When it comes online in 2027, the $600 million facility will be able to power about 321,000 homes for up to four hours.
That's the kind of battery capacity California increasingly needs as more solar comes online and the grid has to balance supply and demand in real time.
Arevon will own and operate the project under a long-term agreement with MCE, a public electricity provider that serves more than 1.8 million residents and businesses across Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, and Solano counties.
The project has grown since it was first proposed. Cormorant was originally planned at 188 MW/752 MWh, but it's now been expanded to 250 MW/1,000 MWh, with the added capacity also contracted to MCE.
Cormorant will use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, a chemistry widely used for grid storage thanks to its safety profile and durability. The system will store electricity when it's plentiful - like during sunny or windy periods - and send it back to the grid during peak demand.
Primoris Services Corporation's Renewables group is handling engineering, procurement, and construction. The build is expected to create around 175 jobs.
There's also a local economic angle. Construction activity is expected to boost nearby businesses, such as hotels and restaurants, and, over the project's lifetime, it's projected to generate more than $73 million in property tax revenue for schools, infrastructure, and public services.
Arevon says it has been investing in the Daly City and Bayshore community throughout development, partnering with more than a dozen local and regional organizations through donations, sponsorships, scholarships, memberships, and volunteer work.
The company already has a big presence in California. Arevon has more than 3.7 gigawatts (GW) of projects operating in the state, representing over $5 billion in capital investment, and another 550 MW currently under construction.
