The Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility uses a combination of wind, solar and battery storage technology. Portland General Electric
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A first project, the Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility in Morrow County, Oregon is the first utility-scale power plant in North America to combine wind and solar energy and battery storage in one location.
The project is an important milestone for the utility company Portland General Electric, which must reduce the emissions of energy provided to consumers by 80% before the end of the decade following a state law in 2021. project developed by NextEra Energy Resources.
“With the Wheatridge project, we are accelerating Oregon’s transition to clean energy and showing the nation what the future of renewable energy looks like,” said Maria Pope, president and CEO of PGE.
The power plant includes 300 megawatts (MW) of wind power, 50 MW of solar, and 30 MW of battery capacity, which together can meet the energy needs of about 100,000 households, GreenBiz reports. The renewable power project already provides an example, as there are at least nine similar hybrid renewable power plants in the works, some of which are also being developed by NextEra Energy.
The facility includes 120 wind turbines, including a mix of 2.3-megawatt and 2.5-megawatt machines, and has one of the largest solar plants in the state. The battery storage facility of this project is one of the largest in the country. The combination of these renewable sources will increase energy reliability, according to Portland General Electric. Wind and solar technology produces energy — with solar panels working during the day and wind turbines working efficiently throughout the night for a steady flow of energy — and a battery storage system stores it. to be used at any time, even on days that are not windy or sunny.
“The integration of wind, solar and energy at one site is a significant opportunity for renewable technologies,” said Rebecca Kujawa, president and CEO of NextEra Energy Resources, in a statement. “These facilities will generate low-cost, homegrown energy and provide millions of dollars in additional tax revenue to Morrow County over the life of the project.”
Portland General Electric owns 100 MW of wind facilities. A subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources owns and operates the 200 MW of wind facilities and all solar and battery capacity and sells its output through 20- and 30-year power purchase agreements. . According to the Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility factsheet, the project also provides compensation to the landowner and does not interfere with agricultural use of the land.
The Wheatridge project replaces Portland General Electric’s last coal-fired power plant, which closed in October 2020.
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