California to increase its renewables capacity through solar and wind power

As per the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) region is expected to increase its solar and wind power capacity in 2021. This will help meet the state’s target of achieving 50 per cent power generation from renewable energy by 2025.

The CAISO will be adding an additional 1.6 GW of utility scale solar capacity and 0.4 GW of onshore wind turbine capacity in 2021. Battery storage capacity of 2.5 GW will also be planned by CAISO in 2021. The batteries would be charged using renewable energy. Two projects are also being developed to facilitate hydrogen production and hydrogen based energy storage. This could help reduce the limitations posed by excess output of solar energy.