Ørsted announced that following final investment decision from its Board of Directors it has commenced construction on the company’s first utility-scale solar plus battery storage project, the 460megawatt (MWac) Permian Energy Center. The facility is located in Andrews County, Texas, and will come online in mid-2021.

Upon completion of the Permian Energy Center, Ørsted will become the first energy company to operate the full spectrum of onshore and offshore wind, solar PV and storage solutions in the US market.

The Permian Energy Center will comprise 420MWac of solar PV and 40MWac of battery storage located on a 3,600-acre site alongside existing oil and gas installations and will supply growing West Texas demand for electricity. In a region synonymous with traditional energy production, the project underscores the increasing cost competitiveness of renewable energy.

Ørsted CEO Henrik Poulsen, says:

“We’re very excited to be moving ahead with the Permian Energy Center and to be adding solar plus storage to our rapidly growing portfolio of US onshore assets. With the completion of the project, Ørsted will have a US portfolio of operating assets that spans the full spectrum of offshore and onshore renewable energy technologies, which we believe is important as we look to offer our customers the most competitive and diverse clean energy solutions into the future.”

Declan Flanagan, CEO of Lincoln Clean Energy, Ørsted’s US onshore developer, commented:

“We’re delighted to be adding this substantial solar plus storage capability to our portfolio. The Permian Energy Center is a landmark project that demonstrates Ørsted’s ability to deliver clean and competitive energy solutions to the dynamic US energy market.”

The solar modules for the Permian Energy Center will be supplied by Jinko Solar and JA Solar, the number one and number two global suppliers, respectively, in 2018.

Source: https://orsted.com/
Image source: Courtesy of Ørsted

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