Gridstor unveils new 60MW/160 MWh Goleta energy storage facility in California

Battery energy storage system (BESS) developer and operator, Gridstor unveiled a new 60MW/160 GWh Goleta energy storage facility in California.

The new lithium-ion battery facility is expected to power an equivalent of 30,000 households –sufficient to supply electricity to all of Goleta's residential consumers every day through the peak hour demand period. 

"California has an urgent need for grid reliability as it decarbonizes its economy, and battery storage is the critical resource that meets both challenges," said Chris Taylor, CEO of GridStor. "The transition to clean energy takes the support of many partners…could not be prouder to work with the City of Goleta and other stakeholders to bring this facility to life and support California's goals for clean, reliable energy."

The Goleta energy storage facility utilizes 44 containerized Tesla batteries. The facility received funding support from NORD/LB, a commercial banking company that provided $55 million of project debt financing to GridStor to complete the development of the facility.

According to GridStor, Goleta energy storage is the largest power resource in Santa Barbara County and the second battery storage facility in the region. It will provide resource adequacy services from the facility to Southern California Edison under a contract while operating in response to market signals from the California Independent System Operator.

The Goleta Energy Storage facility is expected to support existing renewable energy on the grid and maintain grid reliability during the planned build-out of additional renewable energy projects over the next decade. GridStor will provide resource adequacy services from the facility to Southern California Edison under a contract while operating the facility in response to market signals from the California Independent System Operator.

"Goleta became a more resilient city today, with the dedication of GridStor's storage batteries to our grid," said Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte. "We are committed to our renewable energy goals, and this facility brings us that much closer to a day where we will rely predominately on wind and solar and have less need for the traditional gas-powered plant that has historically served us locally."