Solar power and non-flammable long-duration energy storage will support critical facilities during emergencies

ESS Tech, Inc. (“ESS,” “ESS Inc.”) (NYSE: GWH), a U.S. manufacturer of long-duration batteries for utility-scale and commercial energy storage applications, announced today that its iron flow batteries are being deployed by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) in a microgrid project that will strengthen community resilience and back up critical resources in the town of Cameron Corners, California.

The ESS solution will be paired with a large on-site solar array to create a zero-emissions microgrid to support numerous critical community facilities – including a fire station, a health center, and key telecommunications equipment – during Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events. The first-of-its-kind, utility-scale project will utilize six ESS second-generation Energy Warehouse™ systems to provide up to 3 megawatt-hours (MWh) of stored energy capacity. When the microgrid is not in use, the energy stored in the ESS system will be bid into the California wholesale energy market to earn revenue while supporting grid reliability.

“The Cameron Corners Microgrid Project symbolizes SDG&E’s commitment to keeping our customers safe and building resilience against wildfires and extreme weather,” said Don Balfour, Advanced Clean Technology Program Manager at SDG&E. “By pioneering zero-emissions microgrids, SDG&E seeks to meet the reliability and resiliency needs of our customers as climate change presents growing challenges.”

“SDG&E has demonstrated global leadership in addressing the reliability challenges caused by climate change. This project will demonstrate how microgrids can benefit customers in California and beyond,” said Eric Dresselhuys, ESS Inc. CEO. “ESS is proud to collaborate with SDG&E on this project and to offer a safe, sustainable long-duration energy storage solution to help utilities and energy users achieve their clean energy and resiliency goals.”

The ESS energy storage solution will be integrated with a solar PV array and into SDG&E’s local area distribution controller (LADC) to ensure multi-day continuity of services to first responders and critical customer loads in a remote location. The Cameron Corners Microgrid Project is scheduled to come online in the first quarter of 2022.

In recent years, the need for microgrid-based energy resilience has become more critical, due to the sharp increase in extreme weather events and wildfires across the Western U.S. According to the latest U.S. Department of Energy data, there are now 575 operational microgrids in the U.S., totaling 4.25 gigawatts (GW).

About ESS Inc.

ESS Inc. (NYSE:GWH) designs, builds and deploys environmentally sustainable, low-cost, iron flow batteries for long-duration commercial and utility-scale energy storage applications requiring from 4 to 12 hours of flexible energy capacity. The Energy Warehouse™ and Energy Center™ use earth-abundant iron, salt, and water for the electrolyte, resulting in an environmentally benign, long-life energy storage solution for the world’s renewable energy infrastructure. Established in 2011, ESS Inc. enables project developers, utilities, and commercial and industrial facility owners to make the transition to more flexible, non-lithium-ion storage that is better suited for the grid and the environment. For more information, visit www.essinc.com.

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