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Southern California Edison nabs huge battery storage contracts

Ben Geman, author of Generate

Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/Axios

Power giant Southern California Edison has signed contracts to procure 770 megawatts of battery storage projects that are slated to come online in the summer of 2021.

Why it matters: That's a lot! The seven projects appear to comprise largest battery storage procurement announcement ever, per battery wonks talking about it here.

  • It exceeds the total amount of new storage capacity added nationwide in 2019, which was 523 megawatts per the Energy Storage Association and Wood Mackenzie.

The big picture: Most of the projects will be co-located with existing solar power plants, underscoring how batteries can help ensure renewable power is stored and then deployed during times of high demand.

  • Southern California Edison said the projects are part of its compliance with California Public Utilities Commission requirements aimed at boosting grid reliability while curbing emissions.

Go deeper

Hans Nichols, Jonathan Swan
12 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Scoop: Biden weighs retired general Lloyd Austin for Pentagon chief

Lloyd Austin testifying before Congress in 2015. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Joe Biden is considering retired four-star general Lloyd Austin as his nominee for Defense secretary, adding him to a shortlist that includes Jeh Johnson, Tammy Duckworth and Michele Flournoy, two sources with direct knowledge of the decision-making tell Axios.

Why it matters: A nominee for Pentagon chief was noticeably absent when the president-elect rolled out his national security team Tuesday. Flournoy had been widely seen as the likely pick, but Axios is told other factors — race, experience, Biden's comfort level — have come into play.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 32 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Health: WHO: AstraZeneca vaccine must be evaluated on "more than a press release."
  2. Politics: Supreme Court backs religious groups on New York COVID restrictions.
  3. World: Thailand, Philippines sign deal with AstraZeneca for vaccine.
  4. Economy: Safety nets to disappear in December — Black Friday shopping across the U.S., in photos — Amazon hires 1,400 workers a day throughout pandemic.
  5. Education: National standardized tests delayed until 2022.
Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Orion Rummler
1 hour ago - Health

WHO: AstraZeneca vaccine must be evaluated on "more than a press release"

A medical syringe and vial with fake coronavirus vaccine in front of the World Health Organization (WHO) logo. Photo Illustration: Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Top scientists at the World Health Organization on Friday called for more detailed information on a coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford.

Why it matters: Oxford and AstraZeneca have said the vaccine was 90% effective in people who got a half dose followed by a full dose, and 62% effective in people who got two full doses. AstraZeneca has since acknowledged that the smaller dose received by some participants was the result of an error by a contractor, per the New York Times.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow