GridStor is a Portland-based company that has made its way to the Central Coast and its new emission-free battery facility has the capability of providing power equivalent to 30,000 households.
The company is aiming to become the leading utility-scale storage developer in the nation and they are in the process of constructing 44 emission-free batteries in Goleta.
Company leaders say these 60-megawatt batteries will help enhance the delivery of clean energy across the south coast.
“If there’s a local disruption to power infrastructure, our battery facility can become a tool in the toolbox for the local grid operator to keep service reliable within Santa Barbara County, at least for some time,” said Jason Burwen, Vice President of Policy and Strategy at GridStor.
The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce says it worked diligently for the past decade to strengthen local development efforts by staying up to date with the latest technology.
“We just have to keep pace with adding more and more technology, including battery storage, to make sure we can keep up with the changing supplies and increasing demand,” said Kristen Miller, President and CEO of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce.
GridStor currently has fifty construction workers placing these batteries on-site.
Once the facility is ready to operate, they plan to provide a handful of part-time maintenance jobs.
“Why did GridStor choose to come to the Central Coast?” said Eduardo Huijon Jr., KSBY reporter.
“Yeah, Goleta is an ideal spot for a system like this. It’s at the end of a long power line coming up from LA,” said Adam Horvath, Project Manager with GridStor. “Being at the end is really the ideal spot for a battery like this, so Goleta was perfect for what we’re trying to accomplish here.”
The energy that will be stored at the facility will support SoCal Edison and interact with its grid in real time when it’s most stressed.
Depending on the demand of electricity in the community, the batteries will be able to distribute power back into areas that need it most.
“Our battery facility is going to be operating every day, making sure that for example, when the sun goes down and solar power is coming offline, and everyone’s getting home, and energy demand is rising, our battery facility will be one of many resources out there that’s helping to make sure that happens reliably every day,” said Burwen.
Construction for the new GridStor emission-free battery facility is still underway and should be ready to operate this fall.
We asked the company what the overall price of the project was, but they declined to provide that information.
