Borrego Solar launches megawatt-scale energy storage division
The combination of battery storage and solar is beginning to take off, and project developers are working to position themselves for more installations. Borrego’s new division recalls Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity, announced this summer, but on a smaller scale.
Borrego will focus on long-duration energy storage, which officials say is necessary to integrate renewables into the grid.
“We’re realizing that all across our customer base—from cities, school districts and public agencies to businesses, manufacturers and electric utilities—it is more frequently making economic sense to evaluate energy storage in conjunction with solar,” said Berwick. “We knew that this technology shift was around the corner.”
Borrego’s storage unit will spend the next year focusing on developing megawatt-scale projects with utilities across the United States. “It’s something that our customers, electricity regulators and policymakers are asking for,” said Borrego Solar CEO Mike Hall.”
While Tesla has many residential offerings, the deal with SolarCity may yield even greater value in the utility sector. Last summer, Tesla founder Elon Musk told the annual convention of the Edison Electric Institute that he anticipates the utility-scale Powerpack storage product will comprise between 90% and 95% of Tesla’s total stationary storage sales.
