Enel North America has switched on its new hybrid solar and energy storage plant in Delta County, Texas.
The project, named Estonian Solar, combines a 202MW photovoltaic facility with a 104MW battery energy storage system (BESS).
Enel has begun operating the plant, which is supported by power purchase agreements with BXP and Capri Holdings.
Estonian Solar is expected to generate around 499GWh of clean electricity each year, equivalent to the needs of over 46,000 US households.
Head of Enel Green Power North America Stephen Pike said: “With this new project, Enel continues to deliver new clean power and flexible storage to meet rising demand.
“Enel’s renewable energy projects create real value for commercial and industrial companies on their journey to decarbonisation.
“The Estonian project illustrates how the private sector will continue to lead the way in the American energy transition.”
BXP, the United States’ largest publicly traded developer, owner, and manager of premier workplaces, has signed a PPA for a 21MW portion of the project.
Estonian Solar is also supported by a PPA with fashion group Capri Holdings Limited, parent company to Versace, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors.
Senior vice-president of sustainability at BXP Ben Myers said: “The Estonian commercial operation milestone marks a significant moment in BXP’s renewable energy journey.
“Through our partnership with Enel, we are supporting the acceleration of the energy transition by adding additional, large-scale clean power capacity.”
Construction of the plant involved around 400 construction jobs, along with several new permanent local positions for operations and maintenance.
Over its lifetime, the hybrid project is expected to generate over $23m in new local tax revenue for schools and public services.
