DECEMBER 12, 2024 – The California Energy Commission (CEC) approved two grants totaling $50 Million for Long-Duration Energy Storage (LDES) projects at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and Naval Base San Diego at a meeting in San Francisco, Dec. 11.
The grants, part of a long-standing memorandum of understanding to advance LDES solutions, support the State of California’s clean energy goals and enhance the energy resilience of Navy and Marine Corps installations.
“We are proud to partner with the State of California to advance LDES solutions that align with California’s clean energy goals,” said Assistant Secretary of the Navy and Chief Sustainability Officer Meredith Berger. “These projects are more than just an investment, they’re a shared commitment to a stronger, cleaner future. Together, we are demonstrating innovative technologies that support California’s transition to a cleaner energy future while assuring Navy and Marine Corps mission readiness.”
Since 2016, the Department of the Navy (DON) has partnered with the CEC to operate on the cutting edge of technology by pursuing innovative renewable energy initiatives. The $42 Million Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and $8 Million Naval Base San Diego projects represent an instrumental public-private partnership between the State of California, the DON, local communities and industry.
“Long-duration and multi-day energy storage is key to California’s clean energy future because it helps transforms how we can capture and store excess power generated by renewable resources,” said CEC Chair David Hochschild. “Working with the military on this project helps California continue accelerating the path to market for emerging technologies that are critically needed to address climate change, air pollution, and equity in our state and globally.”
Once completed, the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton project at the Haybarn Energy Reliability Center will provide electricity to the California grid and backup power for Marines for up to 14 days in the event of power outages, and yield an additional 400 MWHs of energy storage to Camp Pendleton and the surrounding community. The project demonstrates the power of a defense community and represents the largest LDES project in the Department of Defense to date.
“By integrating these advanced storage systems, the Marine Corps can more efficiently manage energy demand, ensure continuity of operations during grid outages, and reduce dependency on traditional fuels. These capabilities not only enhance the resilience of our installations but also highlight our commitment to advancing the nation’s clean energy leadership through strong federal-state partnerships,” said Berger.
Enhancing energy resilience and serving as a blueprint for LDES system installations for renewable microgrids at naval facilities, the Naval Base San Diego project will provide the DON with valuable data to support the integration of LDES into the core of military operations and maximize the use of non-fossil fuel backup systems to power 24-hour critical operations, allowing missions to continue under volatile conditions, uninterrupted.
“Projects like these build upon the value and benefit of working together on LDES and new technical solutions and serve as a model for installations around the world to increase energy reliability and ensure mission success during unexpected grid conditions and natural disasters,” said Berger.
We are thankful for our collaborative partnership with the CEC and appreciate their taking a meaningful stand in support of our mission assurance and collective national security, and for giving us the opportunity to build the community resilience, climate readiness, and energy future we value and require. We are proud of our partnership and look forward to continuing to demonstrate its value through projects like these for a long time to come.”