LG Energy Solution to Supply 1.2GWh Batteries for World's Largest ESS Project

Completed Battery Supply to US Power Company Vistra
World's Largest Single ESS Site
Capable of Supplying Electricity to 225,000 Households During California Peak Hours

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoonju Hwang] LG Energy Solution has completed the supply of batteries for the world's largest ESS (Energy Storage System) project.

LG Energy Solution recently announced that it has completed the supply of batteries for a 1.2GWh grid-scale ESS operated by the U.S. power company Vistra in the Moss Landing area in the northeastern part of Monterey County, California. This is the largest single ESS site in the world, with a capacity sufficient to power approximately 225,000 households during peak electricity usage hours in California.

Vistra has been carrying out a project since last year to replace the retired aging thermal power facilities at the Moss Landing natural gas power plant in California with renewable energy sources such as grid-scale ESS. This battery supply by LG Energy Solution is part of that project.

According to global market research firm SNE Research, as of 2020, the U.S. grid-scale ESS market size was 6.5GWh, accounting for about half of the global grid-scale ESS market. With an annual growth rate of 54%, it is expected to expand to approximately 55.3GWh by 2025, about nine times the current size.

This project involved the supply of LG Energy Solution's innovative new ESS battery product, the 'TR 1300' rack. Unlike previous products, the battery packs are installed and assembled into battery racks at the manufacturing plant before being shipped to the ESS site, reducing installation time and costs on-site.

Additionally, the ‘TR1300’, which uses high-performance battery cells, allows for double-stacking of battery racks, enhancing space efficiency and improving energy density per unit area.

The product also meets the industry's most stringent fire safety standards. The 'TR 1300' rack underwent the UL9540A test, a safety test method standard for thermal runaway fire propagation in battery energy storage systems, conducted by the global safety certification company UL (Underwriters Laboratories). Furthermore, the product design ensures stable operation even under external environmental changes such as earthquakes.

Shin Young-jun, Executive Vice President and Head of the ESS Division at LG Energy Solution, said, "By supplying batteries for the world's largest ESS project, we have proven the competitiveness of our differentiated ESS batteries. We will further strengthen our quality competitiveness and lead the global ESS market."

Meanwhile, the Biden administration in the U.S. has announced a goal to transition to 100% clean energy by 2050 through the expansion of renewable energy, and the U.S. ESS market is expected to grow rapidly. In particular, California experienced a large-scale blackout last year, which has accelerated the installation of battery-based ESS systems capable of stable operation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.