US utility Southern Power has joined hands with California-based esVolta to install over 86 MW/345 MWh of utility-scale energy storage systems in California.

The subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE:SO) announced last week that the partnership with lithium-ion battery storage projects developer esVolta will see them work on up to four schemes across the Sunshine State. Southern Power has already completed the investment in one of these projects and three more will follow.

"Battery storage is an emerging technology with the potential to revolutionise how energy is supplied," said Bill Grantham, Southern Power’s president.

Southern Power noted that for it, the collaboration is a way to support its growth and low-risk business strategy of developing or acquiring interests in projects covered by long-term contracts. The utility’s goal is to have low- to no-carbon operations by 2050, which it says makes necessary the integration of energy storage with intermittent renewables generation.