Sylmar Company Partners With DWP

Sylmar-based battery manufacturer Quallion LLC will partner with the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to help test and develop a grid-scale battery project for renewable energy storage, the city announced. The company was chosen as a partner along with China-based BYD Co. “Quallion is a longtime corporate partner to the City and this is just one example of how Los Angeles is working innovatively with all sectors to address both the economic and environmental challenges we face as a City,” Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. DWP and Quallion plan to develop the parameter and scope for a 5-10 megawatt power storage unit at Pine Tree Wind Farm, which is located at the utility’s wind power facility in the Tehachapi Mountains. The unit would ensure there is a back-up supply of energy when needed while resources such as wind or solar are integrated into the Department of Water and Power’s electrical grid. While Quallion will help the department test and develop the technology, the department will have the final determination which projects and partners will be awarded contracts based on an evaluation of options and priorities. “Quallion’s recent successes and rapid growth have prepared us for the challenges of developing this advanced power solution for the city,” said Paul Beach, president of business development for the company. The partnership comes after the California Legislature last month passed AB 2514, which mandates the use of energy storage technologies by electric utilities. Publicly-owned utilities are required to comply by 2016. Jessica Selva