Making history with first battery storage and gas turbine hybrid

GE Gas Power, together with Southern California Edison (SCE), in collaboration with Wellhead Power Solutions, LLC, recently installed the world’s first battery storage and gas turbine hybrid. The goal: to quell concerns around changing regulations and grid requirements following California’s Aliso Canyon energy emergency. The project will reinforce California’s grid, resulting in increased renewable energy and fuel savings.

SCE, a utility that provides more than 15 million people with power, has won six awards for the project, including two for innovation, one for clean air, and even one from Power Engineering for Best Overall Project.

As part of the project,  GE installed a 10 MW battery energy storage system in the LM6000 Hybrid EGT followed by gas turbine controls upgrades to integrate the two systems. SCE estimates that the systems will use 2 million fewer gallons of water to operate, as well as reduce emissions by 60%. Additionally, the Hybrid EGT’s fast-start capabilities mean that it can produce spinning reserve power, making it even more valuable for SCE.

Vibhu Kaushik, director of grid technology and modernization at SCE remarked “Renewable and energy storage provide the perfect combination where you can harness renewable energy and match the supply to how the demand is shaped on the grid.”