With electricity demand projected to double by 2045, finding ways to generate and store more reliable, around-the-clock power is more important than ever.
As California hits all-time highs in renewable energy generation, batteries are becoming the key to making sure that power doesn't go to waste.
SCE has one of the largest battery energy storage portfolios in the nation, with enough capacity to power about 6.6 million homes for four hours.
But even as battery storage becomes more common across California, many people have never heard of it or are unfamiliar with how it works — leading to some common misconceptions.
Let’s separate facts from fiction and bust seven common battery storage myths.
Myth: Battery storage works only with solar energy.
Fact: Battery storage usage is not limited to storing solar energy. Batteries can store electricity from the grid when supply is available and deliver it later when customers need it most.
Myth: Battery storage is new and experimental.
Fact: Battery storage is an established technology that continues to evolve. SCE began operating the Tehachapi Energy Storage Project in 2014, which was one of the first large-scale battery storage systems in North America. Since then, the technology has grown and advanced, improving performance and reliability.
Myth: Battery facilities are built and left unattended.
Fact: While SCE’s battery storage facilities are not typically staffed on-site full time, they are remotely operated and monitored 24/7. Operators continuously track facility performance and coordinate with crews when maintenance or on-site support is needed.
Myth: Battery storage facilities and data centers are the same thing.
Fact: They may look similar from the outside, but they serve entirely different purposes.
A data center is a warehouse full of powerful computers that store data and process the digital services people use every day. A battery storage facility stores electricity and delivers it to the grid when it is needed most.
SCE has one of the largest battery energy storage portfolios in the nation, with enough capacity to power about 6.6 million homes for four hours.
Myth: Battery storage is being built mainly to power data centers.
Fact: Battery energy storage systems are designed to support the entire grid, and data centers are only one part of growing electricity demand. Battery storage helps keep energy reliable and resilient as electricity demand grows across homes, businesses and communities.
Myth: Battery storage facilities are not safe.
Fact: Battery storage facilities are designed, constructed, tested and operated under extensive engineering and emergency-response requirements. The facilities are monitored and maintained with safety as the top priority.
Myth: Batteries only benefit people who own one.
Fact: Batteries help keep power reliable year-round. Customer-owned batteries can provide backup power whenever needed, while grid-scale batteries can support entire communities during periods of high demand.
Triple-digit heat drove SCE’s energy demand to an all-time high in September, yet the power kept flowing without a Flex Alert or rotating outages. This is a direct testament to the benefits of battery storage.
For more on SCE’s clean energy efforts, visit edison.com/cleanenergy.
