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The solution lies in alternative energy sources like battery energy storage systems (BESS). Battery energy storage is an evolving market, continually adapting and innovating in response to a changing energy landscape and technological advancements.
Growth and Maturation of Battery Storage in California Over the past several years, the deployment of battery storage systems has grown significantly throughout California, growing from 500 megawatts (MW) in 2019 to over 13,300 MW statewide in 2024. Likewise, battery storage system technologies and standards have also matured over time.
Figure 1: A simplified project single line showing both a battery energy storage system (BESS) and an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). The UPS only feeds critical loads, never losing power.
Battery storage systems are one of the key technologies California relies on to enhance reliability and reduce dependency on polluting fossil fuel plants. Battery storage systems soak up clean energy in the daytime when the sun is shining, store that electricity, and then export it to the grid in the evening hours when the sun is down.
[Updated On: October 2025] Lithium Batteries: Are They Mercury-Free and Environmentally Safe? Lithium batteries do not contain added mercury. This feature makes them environmentally friendly. However, some batteries, such as zinc air, alkaline, and silver oxide, may have trace mercury to manage internal gas formation and leakage prevention.
They are used in small portable electronic devices such as watches, cameras, digital thermometers, calculators, and toys. Zinc air, alkaline, and silver oxide button cell batteries contain small amounts of mercury. These batteries do not pose a health risk when in use since the chances of the mercury leaking out are small.
To ensure your batteries are mercury-free, you should opt for modern battery types, check packaging labels, and recycle used batteries appropriately. Transitioning from the main points, it is essential to delve deeper into each step for effective battery management.
National regulations, such as those from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States, impose strict controls on mercury in batteries. The EPA mandates testing for trace mercury and restricts the amount permitted in various battery types.
Non-battery systems, on the other hand, range considerably more depending on duration. Looking at 100 MW systems, at a 2-hour duration, gravity-based energy storage is estimated to be over $1,100/kWh but drops to approximately $200/kWh at 100 hours.
The cost categories used in the report extend across all energy storage technologies to allow ease of data comparison. Direct costs correspond to equipment capital and installation, while indirect costs include EPC fee and project development, which include permitting, preliminary engineering design, and the owner's engineer and financing costs.
Energy storage and its impact on the grid and transportation sectors have expanded globally in recent years as storage costs continue to fall and new opportunities are defined across a variety of industry sectors and applications.
1 Distributed generation systems often cost more per unit of capacity than utility-scale systems. A separate analysis involves assumptions for electric power generation plant costs for various technologies, including utility-scale photovoltaics and both onshore and offshore wind turbines used in the Electricity Market Module.
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