California Approves 4,600 MWh Darden Battery Energy Storage Project
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The California Energy Commission (CEC) has officially approved the Darden Clean Energy Project’s 4,600 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), located in the western region of Fresno County. This storage system is owned by IP Darden I, a subsidiary of Intersect Power. The project will be developed on 9,500 acres of land that is not suitable for agricultural use and will include a solar system with a capacity of 1,150 MW, consisting of approximately 3.1 million solar panels.
The BESS is being established under California’s Opt-In Certification program, which streamlines the permitting process for eligible clean energy projects. This initiative supports California’s goal of achieving 100% zero-carbon retail electric sales by 2045. The environmental review for the project is anticipated to be completed within 270 days, provided there are no significant changes that would necessitate additional review time.
Projects participating in the Opt-In Certification program are required to demonstrate community and economic benefits. The Darden project will invest $2 million in community initiatives over the next decade, create over 2,000 prevailing-wage construction jobs, and generate an estimated $169 million in economic benefits for the local area over the next 35 years.
In 2024, California launched a state-level collaborative initiative across multiple agencies, aimed at fostering innovation in battery energy storage systems and enhancing safety standards. Key initiatives include updates to the California Fire Code to address fire safety for stationary lithium-ion battery storage systems, as well as new safety standards and improved oversight of emergency plans for grid-scale BESS approved by the California Public Utilities Commission.
Currently, California leads the United States in battery storage capacity, second only to China globally. The state boasts over 200 utility-scale systems and more than 250,000 commercial and residential installations, totaling over 15,700 MW of capacity. According to the California Governor’s office, the state added 7 GW of clean energy capacity to its grid in 2024 and has increased its capacity by 25 GW over the past five years. A report from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie indicates that California deployed 15 MW of commercial solar-plus-storage in the first quarter of the 2025 financial year.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/california-greenlights-4600-mwh-darden-battery-energy-storage-project-with-major-solar-integration/
