Strong points :
- The Crimson Storage is a 350 MW / 1400 MWh stand-alone energy storage project that now provides flexible capacity to the California grid.
- A fund managed by Axium Infrastructure owns 80% of the storage project. The developer of the Recurrent Energy project holds 20% of the shares.
Subsidiaries of solar energy conglomerate Canadian Solar Recurrent Energy and CSI Energy Storage, along with Axium Infrastructure, announced that the Crimson Storage, a 350 MW / 1400 MWh stand-alone energy storage project, is now operational and supplying flexible capacity to the California network. Axium Infrastructure acquires, develops, finances, operates and manages infrastructure assets.
According to the press release issued by Canadian Solara fund managed by Axium Infrastructure owns 80 percent of the storage project. The developer of the Recurrent Energy project holds 20% of the shares. CSI Energy Storage was the turnkey system integrator for the project, providing engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services and will provide long-term operational services for the project.
Canadian Solar argued that Crimson Storage is the largest battery storage project in the world to be operational in a single phase and is the second largest energy storage project currently underway.
The project is located on public land in Riverside County, California and holds two long-term energy storage contracts with California’s largest utilities, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) . Both contracts are part of reliability purchases led by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
The 200 MW/800 MWh 14-year, 10-month contract is with Southern California Edison under a full toll agreement. Additionally, the 15-year 150 MW / 600 MWh contract is with Pacific Gas and Electric Company for resource adequacy only; Recurrent Energy and Axium to Operate California Wholesale Electricity Market Battery System
Dr. Shawn Qu, President and CEO of Canadian Solar, said, “Recurrent Energy began developing Crimson Storage and our largest energy storage pipeline in 2015, when no large-scale storage project did not yet exist. Last year we started to realize these projects also thanks to our CSI Energy Storage team. He also thanked the California Public Utilities Commission, the US Department of the Interior, and Axium Infrastructure partners for their critical contributions to this project.
Recurrent Energy has commercialized 2.9 GWh of energy storage projects under construction or in operation, including Slate Solar + Storage, and has an additional pipeline of 15 GWh of phased energy storage projects from early to intermediate development.