This news podcast discusses the rapid growth of grid-scale battery storage in the United States, focusing on California's experience. The podcast begins by recounting the legislative efforts in California starting in 2010 to incentivize battery storage, which initially faced skepticism but ultimately proved successful. It then details a visit to a large-scale battery storage facility in California, explaining how it works and its role in providing reliable renewable energy to customers like Apple and PG&E. Finally, the podcast highlights the increasing demand for battery storage driven by factors such as the growth of data centers and electric vehicles, and projects this trend to spread to other states like Texas. The success of California's model demonstrates how proactive policy and technological advancements can overcome initial hurdles to create a more reliable and sustainable energy grid. For example, the Cal Flats facility, owned by Arivon, has enough capacity to power 60,000 homes.
