San Diego Zoo — United States of America

San Diego Zoo is a 1 MW storage power plant in California, United States of America. It is operated by EDF Renewables Distributed Solutions Inc. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 250 homes (estimated). It ranks #10734 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2019, it is around 7 years old — recently built. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0063412.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 1 MW, San Diego Zoo is below the median storage plant in United States of America (4 MW). This facility converts its energy source into electricity for the grid; its capacity, fuel type and location determine its role in the national power mix.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Share of United States of America storage capacity

0.1% of 815 MW across 104 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

70 of 104 dated storage plants in United States of America are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest storage plants in United States of America

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by EDF Renewables Distributed Solutions Inc.

Local climate & thermal context

This storage plant stores and releases electricity (pumped-hydro or batteries) to balance the grid. It sits in a cold semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 32.7°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 77% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 21/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with dust abrasion the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #104 largest storage power plant of 104 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 104 storage power plants in this dataset, together about 815 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Naval Hospital Medical Center · Gas · 5.3 MW · California
• NRG Energy San Diego · Gas · 1.6 MW · California
• C P Kelco San Diego Plant · Gas · 29.2 MW · California
• Lindberg Field Solar 2 · Solar · 1.9 MW · California
• North Island Energy Facility · Gas · 40.3 MW · California
• NTC/MCRD Energy Facility · Gas · 25.6 MW · California

Location

Coordinates 32.7397, -117.1516 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions