UC San Diego to Install One of the Nation’s Largest Green Battery Energy Storage Systems
UC San Diego is set to install a 2.5 megawatt / 5 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system, making it one of the largest and most environmentally-friendly university-based installations in the United States. Integrated into the campus’s advanced microgrid—which already supplies 92% of its annual electricity—the system will enhance energy reliability, support solar power integration, and improve grid resiliency.
The lithium iron phosphate battery system, supplied by BYD, is notable for its safety, non-toxic materials, and sustainability. Once operational, the system will store enough energy to power approximately 2,500 homes for four hours and help the campus qualify for up to $3.25 million in incentives from California’s Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP).
The project underscores UC San Diego’s leadership in clean energy innovation. It joins a diverse energy storage portfolio on campus, including a second-life EV battery demonstration site, a 30 kW ultra-capacitor system integrated with concentrated solar technology, and a 3.8 million gallon thermal energy storage facility used to reduce cooling demand during peak hours.
The announcement highlights how energy storage can enable higher renewable adoption while supporting a clean, resilient grid.
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