A utility-scale renewable energy plant using wind and solar combined with battery storage opened last week, a US first, with the potential of powering 100,000 homes with clean, reliable energy. The project gives us a glimpse into the future as the US shifts from fossil fuels to clean energy sources.
The Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility is the first utility-scale development in North America to implement wind and solar generation with battery storage.
Until the Inflation Reduction Act was passed in August, energy storage projects were only eligible for tax incentives if they were exclusively based on solar energy. However, the IRA bill opens up new possibilities by providing incentives for mixed (wind and solar) and standalone battery storage projects.
As a result, more projects like the Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility will likely be in the works. The combination of wind and solar energy can improve reliability, adding value to the grid.
The renewable energy plant is made possible through a partnership between NextEra Energy Resources and Portland General Electric. NextEra purchased the development rights to a wind farm and expanded upon it with the help of PGE, adding solar capability and battery storage.
Rebecca Kujawa, CEO of Nextera Energy, talks about the benefits of combining renewable energy sources, stating:
Bringing wind, solar and energy storage together at one site is quite a significant moment for renewable technologies.
Kujawa adds:
These facilities generate low-cost, homegrown energy and will provide millions of dollars in additional tax revenue to Morrow County over the life of the project.
The facility opened last week in Morrow County, Oregon, and is the first of its scale, according to the companies.
Details of the solar, wind, and battery storage project in Oregon
The Wheatridge Renewable Energy Project is an example of how combining renewable energy sources (solar and wind) with battery storage can help provide reliable, sustainable energy as utility companies look to cut back on carbon emissions.
The renewable energy plant includes:
300 MW wind capacity via 120 GE turbines
A 50 MW photovoltaic solar energy generating facility
A 30 MW battery storage facility
Using power generated from wind and solar, the battery storage system will save unused energy, providing it for use at any time.
Morrow County Commissioner Don Russel says:
We’re pleased to have Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facilities located in Morrow County and to play a part in providing clean energy to Oregonians. This facility provides jobs and tax revenue for our schools and county services while also supporting economic opportunities for the agricultural community. Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facilities also strengthens Morrow County’s position in the region’s clean energy economy.
The renewable energy facility created about 300 jobs during construction and employs around 10 full-time employees.
Electrek’s Take
With new incentives to start battery storage projects, the Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility is, hopefully, the first of many of its kind from a utility company.
Combining wind and solar with battery storage offers advantages over using either system individually. Hybrid systems like these can generate energy essentially at any point. When the sun is shining, it can generate power from solar, and when the sun is not as intense in winter months, it can generate energy from the wind and store it for later use.
The combination of technology is what will provide the most value over time. To hit the US’s goal of a 100% carbon pollution-free electricity sector by 2035, more will need to be done, and this is exactly the type of project that can help us get there.
Renewable energy is being deployed around the globe. A new report shows renewable energy sources were used to meet the rise in global electricity demand in the first half of 2022. If hybrid systems like Wheatridge can be utilized, it can help speed up the transition to clean energy while building a reliable grid for the future.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Leading electric vehicle analyst, author, and industry thought leaders Loren McDonald and Bill Ferro stop by Quick Charge to discuss EV Adoption’s acquisition by Paren, the “crisis” of EV charging reliability, and the real state of the EV market.
Depending on who you listen, EVs are either driving brands to record growth and are about cross that critical 10% of the overall market nationwide, or the future is bleak, the market is down, and EVs just aren’t selling. What’s really going on? Loren and Bill (probably) have some answers.
Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations site wide. Click here to learn more.
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!
Got news? Let us know! Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!
Chevy EV owners in Texas who have Reliant as their electric utility can now charge for free at night with renewable energy.
Over 150 Chevrolet dealerships across Texas are now offering the Reliant Free Charge Nights plan to new EV buyers. With Free Charge Nights, customers can offset their charging costs by receiving credits for electricity used between 11 pm and 6 am. The plan is powered entirely by renewable energy, thanks to the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs).
Rasesh Patel, president of NRG Consumer, says the plan is about making power personal: “We’re excited to help Chevrolet EV drivers offset the cost of charging their vehicle all while having access to a renewable electricity plan.”
This collaboration aims to make EV adoption more appealing by making charging cheaper and greener. GM Energy’s chief revenue officer, Aseem Kapur, emphasized that partnerships like this help build the ecosystem needed to support an all-electric future: “The Reliant Free Charge Nights plan is a great example of how an automaker and an energy company can work together to make EV adoption an easy decision.”
Existing Reliant customers can also sign up for the Free Charge Nights plan. To get started, Chevrolet EV owners need to designate their vehicle on the GM Energy Smart Charging Portal before enrolling in the plan.
Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, serves over 1.5 million customers in Texas, making it one of the largest electricity providers in the state.
If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Texas is about to get a major power boost – a new AI-powered virtual power plant (VPP) delivering capacity equivalent to 200,000 homes during peak demand.
NRG Energy is teaming up with Renew Home to bring nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity to the Texas grid by 2035, aiming to make it more resilient while helping residents save on energy costs.
The new VPP will rely on hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats and other connected home devices, making use of AI technology provided by Google Cloud. These devices, like Vivint and Nest smart thermostats, will be offered to eligible customers at no cost. By automating HVAC adjustments, they help shift energy use to when electricity is cheaper, cleaner, and less strained.
NRG and Renew Home have big plans for the VPP. Starting in spring 2025, the companies plan to roll out the program across Texas, installing these smart thermostats in homes served by NRG’s retail electricity providers. Eventually, they plan to add home battery storage and EVs to expand the power plant’s capabilities.
Texas has faced record-breaking energy demands, with peak usage hitting 85 GW in 2023. As the state’s population grows and extreme weather becomes more frequent, VPPs like this one could play a key role in stabilizing the grid. VPPs aggregate a lot of small-scale energy resources, from smart thermostats to home batteries, and use them to help balance supply and demand during times of high stress on the grid.
This nearly 1 GW VPP will be one of the largest of its kind in Texas. NRG’s president of consumer operations, Rasesh Patel, calls it a “pivotal step” for improving customer experience while making Texas’ energy infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.
In addition to Renew Home, NRG is working with Google Cloud to maximize the power plant’s effectiveness. Google Cloud’s AI and analytics tools will help predict weather conditions, forecast renewable generation, and optimize energy usage, all of which will help make energy management smoother for both customers and the grid.
Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home, said:
NRG’s commitment to creating a more resilient and sustainable energy future while also making electricity bills more affordable makes them an ideal partner for co-developing this unique VPP program.
This initiative raises the bar for future-proofing our electricity infrastructure and delivering cost savings to customers.
To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check outEnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get startedhere. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.