Power Factors' PPC drives complex operations at hybrid solar-plus-storage plant in California

California’s ambitious clean energy goals are reshaping how utility-scale projects are designed and operated. In the desert city of Blythe, a new hybrid solar-plus-storage facility is helping lead the way. With 400 MW of solar PV and 150 MW of battery energy storage (BESS), this large-scale site is designed to deliver clean power precisely when and where it’s needed most. 

Once fully operational, the plant will generate enough electricity to power approximately 100,000 homes. By storing solar energy during peak production hours and dispatching it in times of high demand, it supports California’s drive to reduce fossil fuel reliance while improving grid reliability. 

Managing hybrid complexity at scale 

Operating a hybrid plant of this size takes more than just traditional monitoring. With 400 MW of solar, 150 MW of storage, and a 300 MW export limit, the control system had to continuously prioritize output without triggering curtailment, lost revenue, or compliance issues. 

Adding to the complexity, the site receives dispatch instructions from three different sources: the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), a centralized remote operations center (ROC), and local plant controls. Without the right coordination, conflicting commands could jeopardize reliability and market participation.  

Managing these competing inputs in real-time required a control system built for fast, intelligent decision-making. 

A control platform designed for hybrid plants 

To meet these demands, the developer partnered with Power Factors to deliver a fully integrated solution, combining a local SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system and power plant controller (PPC), purpose-built for the complexity of hybrid plants. 

Power Factors’ SCADA and PPC were chosen as the ideal solution to deliver real-time monitoring, precise control, and seamless coordination between solar and storage assets. 

With this intelligent control system, the operator gained: 

• Real-time insight into how the solar and battery systems are performing, individually and together 

• Seamless control of hybrid dispatch, automatically coordinated to stay under the 300 MW export cap 

• Smart handling of simultaneous commands from CAISO, the ROC, and the local system 

Built for performance and delivered fast 

Despite the project’s scale and complexity, Power Factors delivered the full SCADA and PPC system, from purchase order to commissioning, in just eight months.  

As both owner and operator, the customer stayed actively involved, helping define control logic and interface specifications. Power Factors worked closely with stakeholders to balance custom requirements with system performance. 

Power Factors also maintains the plant’s automated dispatch scheduling (ADS) interface with CAISO to support long-term success. This ongoing support helps the operator stay compliant with CAISO rules and continues earning revenue in California’s real-time market. 

Results that scale 

Together, the SCADA and PPC systems provide reliable, real-time control and smooth plant performance. They enable the operator to: 

• Make faster, more informed decisions based on a clear view of solar and battery performance 

• Deliver the maximum amount of clean energy without exceeding the 300 MW export limit or risking curtailment 

• Maintain compliance and reliability even when handling multiple, competing dispatch commands in real time 

Future-ready by design 

The control system is also designed for what comes next. It supports future battery augmentation without requiring major redesign, positioning the site to scale as CAISO’s hybrid resource rules and revenue opportunities evolve. 

Power Factors’ SCADA and PPC are part of the Unity renewable energy management suite (REMS), built to help clean energy operators meet growing complexity with intelligence, flexibility, and control. 

At this California site, that means more reliable real-time coordination across solar and storage, reliable execution of multiple dispatch signals, and a control system built to grow with the grid. 

Want to learn how Power Factors supports hybrid clean energy assets? Book a demo.