The solar plus storage microgrid is the first project to receive funding from the California Energy Commission’s $140 million Long-Duration Energy Storage Program.
Eos Energy Enterprises and Invinity Energy Systems were selected to provide battery systems to a 60 MWh solar plus storage microgrid developed by Indian Energy, a Native American-owned company comprised of Viejas Tribe of Kumeyaay Indians from Southern California.
The facility which is to planned provide back-up power to the Viejas Casino and Resort, located on the lands of the Viejas Band. The energy storage contract is valued at $13.5 million while the solar component to the microgrid is worth $15 million. Upon completion, the microgrid will be the first such project capable facility owned by a tribal association.
Eos is supplying a 35 MWh zinc-based battery to the project while Invinity is supplying a 10 MWh vanadium redox flow battery. The flow battery is expected to be the largest of its type in the U.S. The remaining 15 MWh power capacity will come from an on-site solar array.
The energy storage project will have discharge duration of up to 10 hours. It is being funded by a California Energy Commission grant under the Long-Duration Energy Storage Program. Indian Energy’s award is the first project awarded under the CEC’s $140 million Long-Duration Energy Storage Program, part of governor Gavin Newsom’s historic $54 billion climate pledge to reduce global warming and increase grid resiliency.
Eos, Invinity and Indian Energy are expected to sign a long term development agreement for the project construction in the coming weeks.
On November 3, Indian Energy received $31 million in grant funding from the CEC to develop microgrid projects using solar and battery storage systems, for which Eos Energy is the supplier of storage systems.
“Indian Energy’s mission is to support Indian Country on their journey toward energy sovereignty while creating a sustainable future for our seventh generation,” said Allen Cadreau, Indian Energy’s founder and CEO.
The Viejas Band is one of 12 bands of the Kumeyaay Indian Nation which resides on a 1,600-acre reservation in the Viejas Valley, near the town of Alpine in San Diego County. The Band is recognized as a sovereign government by the United States.
Indian Energy operates a multi-year development pipeline that consists of 4 GW of solar and wind projects, and 6 GWh of energy storage projects. The project development company has partnered with the Department of Defense, Community Choice Aggregators and Tribal Utility Authorities.
To date more than 4 GW of energy storage projects have been installed in the California Independent System Operator territory. The state’s project development pipeline includes 48 GW of battery storage and 4 GW of long duration storage projects through 2045.
