Global engineering and construction group Bechtel said it will work with Doral Renewables to design and build a 430-MW solar power station in Texas. The Cold Creek Solar+Storage project, sited in Schleicher and Tom Green counties, also will include a 340-MWh battery energy storage system.
Bechtel, headquartered in Reston, Virginia, on November 5 said the Cold Creek installation will have more than 850,000 solar modules. The facility’s storage component will enable excess energy from the solar array to be dispatched during periods of high demand for electricity on the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, grid.
“The Cold Creek project highlights the power of an all-of-the-above energy strategy,” said Scott Austin, Bechtel general manager of Renewables & Clean Power. “Texas continues to lead the nation in blending traditional and renewable resources to strengthen its grid. By combining 430 MW of solar generation with 340 MWh of storage, Cold Creek will make the Texas grid stronger and more reliable for years to come. We are proud to bring Bechtel’s experience to this important project and support Doral Renewables’ mission to deliver reliable, homegrown power to Texas.”
“The Cold Creek project is a major milestone for our company’s growth,” said Jason Van Deusen, VP of Project Management for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-headquartered Doral Renewables, which operates in 21 states. “We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Bechtel.
The groups on Wednesday said Bechtel will provide engineering, procurement, and construction services for the solar and storage facilities across the two counties. The project is expected to create more than 500 jobs at peak construction. Commercial operation is expected to start in 2028.
Commercial operation of solar + storage project in 2 to 3 years is fast compared to 10+ years for nuclear power projects. Also cheaper and no radioactive wastes.
Its good to hear that companies are becoming more comfortable with battery storage. Engineers tend to be very conservative. Long term reliability is critical for economics to work out. Better to let others try it and report how it works.
Previous storage projects have tried to store solar heat. I think they all failed. Pumped water storage is usually preferred because has the longest history of success. (But Ameren did have a disaster with pumped storage when sensors failed causing the upper reservoir to overflow and fail.)
We hear all sorts of storage methods discussed but few seem to make progress. Compressed air. Mechanical lifts. etc.
Utilities all over the country and world have seen the reliability improvements and cost savings that battery storage provides. There is growing demand for batteries.
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