Panel-level battery maker Yotta Energy has been award a $1.23 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to develop a solar and storage system to address energy inequality in lower-income areas. The project will include battery backup for a 11-story multifamily housing complex located in Santa Ana, California. In addition to economic benefits, the project will also examine reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, improvements to the surrounding environment, and implications to the existing utility grid by adding solar + storage in a low-income community.
“Our state has long been dedicated to introducing and integrating renewable energy, but as lower-income areas lagged behind in adoption due to a lack of resources, these communities have experienced elevated air pollution levels,” said CEC Chair David Hochschild “We look forward to working with Yotta Energy on this project to demonstrate the viability of these installations and how we can replicate similar types across the state.”
Yotta will work with Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and solar developer Promise Energy. Through replication and scaling, Yotta hopes to expand its solutions to other similar locations throughout the country, providing sustainable initiatives to make solar energy storage and usage more accessible.
“This is a significant step for the city of Santa Ana as the state looks to adopt and implement greener technologies into its buildings,” said Omeed Badkoobeh, CEO of Yotta Energy. “Not only will this project lead to a cleaner, healthier local environment, but it will also open the door for economic prosperity and growth in Santa Ana. As we expect to continue growing and implementing our solution in communities nationwide, we look forward to ensuring that everyone has access to a reliable energy supply.”
The project is scheduled to kick off in August 2022. Ahead of installing the solar + storage system, Yotta will also perform data collection at SolarTAC’s Colorado facility, which is a large testing facility for solar technologies.
News item from Yotta Energy
