Hydrostor develops 500 MW/4 GWh compressed air energy storage project in USA

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has determined the Data Adequacy of Hydrostor's Application for Certification for its 500 MW/4,000 MWh Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) technology that will be used by Willow Rock Energy Storage Center, formally called the Gem Energy Storage Center, located in Kern County, California, USA. This progress will officially launch the project's public environmental evaluation process.

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) had also allotted 500 MW of resource deliverability for the project earlier this year. This allowed Hydrostor to continue ongoing constructive offtake negotiations with various counterparties.

A-CAES is a long-duration energy storage innovation that uses technology and procedures to provide long-duration energy storage that is large-scale, inexpensive, and emission-free. The primary difference between A-CAES and pumped hydropower is that A-CAES uses up to 10 times less land and 20 times less water and has fewer siting constraints when compared to equivalent sized systems.