Hydrostor Inc. ("Hydrostor"), a leading long-duration energy storage solution provider, and Kiewit Engineering Group Inc. ("Kiewit"), have entered an agreement to advance Front-End Engineering and Design studies for the 500MW Willow Rock Energy Storage Center ("Willow Rock"), which would be the largest stand-alone energy storage project in California.
This milestone demonstrates steady progress in the development of Hydrostor's Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage ("A-CAES") technology in North America. A-CAES (pronounced "case") uses commercially proven equipment and processes to provide affordable, large-scale, and emission- free long-duration energy storage ("LDES"). Willow Rock will be capable of storing enough energy to provide reliable power for up to 400,000 homes over 8 hours, turning California's growing solar and wind resources into on-demand peaking capacity, enabling the closure of emitting fossil fuel resources while maximizing transmission system utilization.
"Hydrostor continues to reach important milestones at Willow Rock, and we look forward to working with the world-class engineering and construction teams at Kiewit to advance this critical clean energy project. Our global teams are paving the way towards achieving aggressive net-zero goals. Willow Rock will be capable of eliminating the equivalent of roughly 120,000 cars off the road every year over its 50+ year project life."
-Curtis VanWalleghem, Hydrostor's Chief Executive Officer.
Kiewit remains committed to engaging in the clean energy transition and recognizes that LDES solutions like A-CAES are a critical component of grid modernization. We look forward to commencing work on Willow Rock, which has the potential to abate significant emissions and provide a reliable, sustainable energy source for many decades, said Kevin Needham, President of Kiewit Power Engineers.
About Kiewit:
Kiewit is one of North America's largest and most respected construction and engineering organizations. With its roots dating back to 1884, the employee-owned organization operates through a network of subsidiaries in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Kiewit offers construction and engineering services in a variety of markets including transportation; oil, gas and chemical; power; building; water/wastewater; industrial; and mining. Kiewit had 2021 revenues of $12.1 billion and employs 28,800 staff and craft employees.
About Willow Rock:
The Willow Rock Energy Storage Center ("Willow Rock") is an Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage project that will have the ability to produce 500 MW of power and store up to 8 hours of energy. The project is located in Eastern Kern County, just outside Rosamond, California and will cover only 60 acres, far less than other renewable energy projects. Over 800 peak construction jobs will be created, with an average construction workforce of 250 over a four-year period. With over $500 million in regional direct and indirect impacts to the local economy Willow Rock will be paying annual taxes as assessed by the County and local authorities.
About Hydrostor:
Hydrostor is a long-duration energy storage solutions provider that provides reliable and affordable utility integration of long-duration energy storage, enabling grid operators to scale renewable energy and secure grid capacity. Hydrostor supports the green economic transition, employing the people, suppliers, and technologies from the traditional energy sector to design, build, and operate emissions-free energy storage facilities. Hydrostor has developed, deployed, tested, and demonstrated that its patented Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage ("A-CAES") technology can provide long-duration energy storage and enable the renewable energy transition. A-CAES uses proven components from mining and gas operations to create a scalable energy storage system that is low-impact, cost-effective, 50+ year lifetime, and can store energy from 5 hours up to multi-day storage where needed. With investment support from Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Canadian Pension Plan, and Business Development Bank of Canada, Hydrostor has projects worldwide in various development stages for providing capacity of over 200 MW each.