California Community Choice Aggregator MCE to Convert Peaker to Energy Storage Facility Hybrid

February 27, 2023

by APPA News
February 27, 2023

California community choice aggregator MCE’s newest resource adequacy project will convert a natural gas-fired peaker plant into an energy storage hybrid facility.

The addition of 16 megawatts of battery storage to the 48-megawatt facility enables the plant to burn significantly less fuel than a standard gas site. The project reduces particulate emissions from the facility by as much as 78%.

The new battery hybrid project in Fresno, California, was created in partnership with Wellhead Power eXchange, LLC, using their Hybrid ElectricGas Turbine technology that was co-developed with General Electric.

The battery will shorten the amount of time the natural gas plant is operating while increasing the quality of its reliability services which support wind and solar generation, MCE said.

Based on previous hybrid conversions, the Wellhead project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 60% and water usage by up to 80%.

Serving a 1,200 MW peak load, MCE provides electricity service and programs to more than 580,000 customer accounts and 1.5 million residents and businesses in 37 communities across four Bay Area counties: Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, and Solano.