Orsted reports 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 460-Megawatt (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, Orsted will become the first energy company to operate the full spectrum of on- 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.

"We are very excited to be moving ahead with the Permian Energy Center project and to be adding solar plus storage to our rapidly growing portfolio of US onshore assets," said Orsted CEO Henrik Poulsen.

"With the completion of Permian, Orsted 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," he added.

"We are delighted to be adding this substantial solar plus storage capability to our portfolio. The Permian Energy Center is a landmark project that demonstrates Orsted's ability to deliver clean and competitive energy solutions to the dynamic US energy market," commented Declan Flanagan, CEO of Lincoln Clean Energy, Orsted's US Onshore arm.

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.

Related Links
Orsted
All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com

Tweet

New material to pave the way for lead-free solar panels
Washington (UPI) Nov 13, 2019
Scientists have developed a new material that could be used to make solar panels without lead. Over the last decade, the quest to build a better, more efficient solar panel has centered on a mineral called perovskite. Solar panels made using the calcium titanium oxide mineral capture up to 28 percent of solar energy, while the best commercial panels boast efficiencies between 15 and 18 percent. But building perovskite panels at scale has proven difficult. The material is unstable and con ... read more