LA completes its largest solar and battery storage project

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The background: The Eland Solar-plus-Storage Center near the city of Mojave can generate enough energy to serve more than 260,000 households, officials said. The project has been in the works since 2019, when L.A. first signed power purchase agreements with renewable energy developer Arevon Energy Inc.

The cost: L.A. has a 25-year contract to purchase electricity at a record low cost — about 4 cents per kilowatt hour. That’s because solar energy is now cheaper or competitive with electricity made from natural gas or coal. The new power plant also has batteries the size of shipping containers, so the DWP can use cheaper solar energy during high-demand evening hours.

Clean energy in L.A.: Officials say the new power plant can meet 7% of L.A.’s energy needs. In 2022 — the latest year for which data is available — L.A. got about 36% of its energy from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, 35% from natural gas, about 13% from nuclear and coal, and 4% from hydropower. Officials said this new project is expected to help L.A. reach 64% clean energy sources by the end of the year.

Why it matters: Electricity generated from fossil fuel is a primary driver of human-caused climate change. When we burn fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal, for energy, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, which then heats up the planet. Switching to energy generated from cleaner sources, such as solar and wind, is a key strategy to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.