The Biggest U.S. Solar-Storage Project Launches in Nevada

Nevada is now hosting the largest solar plus battery energy storage system project in the United States after Primergy Solar and Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners announced that the Gemini Solar + Storage project in Clark County is now fully operational.

Gemini is one of the latest such sites in the U.S. amid a rapid expansion of solar plus storage projects in the country.

Gemini, located just 30 minutes outside of Las Vegas, generates enough reliable clean energy to power around 10% of Nevada's peak power demand, Primergy Solar says.

The 1.8 million solar panels at the Gemini site can generate up to 690 megawatts (MW) of electricity. The solar arrays are co-located with 380 MW of 4-hour battery storage to provide Nevadans with 1,400 MWh of clean, reliable power after sundown.  

The project’s unique DC-coupled storage configuration enables the battery energy storage system to charge directly from the solar panels, resulting in increased efficiency and maximizing the capture and storage of solar energy directly on-site, according to Primergy Solar and Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners.

Energy storage use continues to grow across the United States.

Last year, for example, solar + storage accounted for 13% of residential installations and 5% of non-residential installations, said the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) in its review of the first full year of the Inflation Reduction Act. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]

This year, 25% of new residential installations and 10% of non-residential installations will have storage, according to SEIA.

Nevada is among the top 10 U.S. states with the most installed battery capacity, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

This year, U.S. battery storage capacity could jump by 89% by the end of 2024 if developers bring all of the energy storage systems they have planned online by their intended commercial operation dates, the EIA noted.

Separately, the EIA expects solar and battery storage to account for 81% of new U.S. electric-generating capacity in 2024. Solar is set to account for the largest share of new capacity, at 58%, followed by battery storage, at 23%.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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