Puget Sound Energy (PSE) announced two large projects in Washington state that will help add more clean energy to its portfolio.
The first is the development of a utility-scale solar facility known as Appaloosa Solar Project that PSE will own and operate. The second is a power purchase agreement signed with BrightNight for a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) known as the Greenwater project.
Together, the projects can generate up to 342 MW of energy to help PSE’s commitment to diversify its renewable resource mix and meet the state’s Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) targets.
Since the passage of CETA in 2019, PSE has added more than 3,800 MW of renewable energy resources to its resource mix. More than half (2,033 MW) of that comes from new resources from 11 projects built to serve the energy needs of our customers.
Appaloosa Solar Project
The Appaloosa Solar Project will be built within the existing PSE Lower Snake River Wind Facility footprint in Garfield County, and will be capable of generating 142 MW of clean energy, enough to power more than 30,000 homes. The project will leverage existing transmission rights and infrastructure. This strategic approach minimizes local impacts and project costs.
The Appaloosa Solar Project will contribute 4% towards PSE’s 2030 clean energy targets and help meet peak demand during the summer. It will create employment opportunities for approximately 300 workers during construction with community workforce or project labor agreements being utilized. It will also include local and diverse suppliers when available, promoting economic development in the region.
“We’re excited to bring clean, reliable utility-scale solar energy to our customers, especially during peak summer months when cooling demand is high,” said Ron Roberts, PSE senior VP of energy resources. “This project demonstrates our commitment to a low-carbon future and advances our efforts to meet Washington state’s ambitious clean energy goals.”
Construction on the Appaloosa Solar Project will be done by Qcells USA, which is providing full renewable value chain and turnkey services on the project including serving as the project developer, module manufacturer and engineering procurement construction (EPC) provider of the site. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2025 with a commercial operation date expected in December of 2026.
Garfield County granted the Appaloosa Solar Project their conditional use permit this summer, following three public meetings and two years of community engagement by Qcells on the project. PSE has a long-standing relationship with the local community and is committed to providing education and tour opportunities at the facility once completed.
Greenwater (Battery Energy Storage System) Project
PSE is investing in a battery storage system to better manage peak electricity demand, avoid the need for additional generation infrastructure and provide a more reliable and efficient energy supply to its customers. The Greenwater project will be located near Sumner and will make it possible for PSE to serve approximately 70,000 residential customers on cold winter days and 100,000 customers on hot summer days.
Battery storage systems are designed to store excess energy generated by wind and solar farms, and release it to the grid during periods of high demand.
“We’re investing in technologies like battery storage that can support a continuous and reliable supply of clean energy to our customers,” said Craig Pospisil, PSE VP of business development and M&A. “Battery storage projects like Greenwater help us harness the renewable energy we generate while ensuring the grid remains reliable during extreme temperatures and times of peak demand.”
BrightNight will design and install the facility, using lithium-ion batteries. BrightNight worked with the city of Sumner and other local agencies for two years to secure the Conditional Use Permit and to satisfy requirements of Washington’s State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). Energy from the facility will be fed to the White River Substation and then distributed onto the grid as needed. The project is scheduled to be operational by mid-year 2027.
PSE plans to add approximately 1,500 MW of battery storage capacity by 2030. These systems are an important part of PSE’s plans to effectively operate and manage peak demand and play an increasingly important role in how we meet our clean energy goals and comply with CETA.
News item from PSE
You didn’t include the total cost of the planned investment in the industrial solar array project. I saw on the Seattle Times that the project would generate “enough power for 30,000 homes”. What we all need to understand is what is the total cost per home of doing one of these industrial installations, compared with what it would cost for a homeowner to install their own solar. I’m guessing that an industrial installation is much cheaper per home, but I would like to know if it’s true.