Danish renewable energy firm Ørsted and US utility Salt River Project (SRP) have announced the operational start of their 300MW solar-plus-storage project in Pinal County, Arizona.

Located south of the state capital, Phoenix, the Eleven Mile Solar Center features a co-located 4-hour duration 300MW/1,200MWh battery energy storage system (BESS).

David Hardy, Ørsted’s Group Executive Vice President and CEO for the Americas, praised the integration of co-located solar PV and BESS, emphasizing its crucial role in ensuring the dependable supply of power amidst increasing electricity demand.

Hardy added, “Arizona is experiencing one of the most rapid increases in electricity consumption nationwide, driven by the expansion of data centers and the resurgence of American manufacturing. With our inaugural project in Arizona successfully finished, we are excited to contribute to fulfilling the escalating energy needs of the state and the surrounding area with dependable, locally sourced power.”

The Eleven Mile Solar Center signifies a significant investment of around $1 billion by Ørsted in clean energy for Arizona. The company announced that it is expected to contribute approximately $80 million in tax revenue for the local community, supporting public services.

In addition, the project boosted the US economy by engaging domestic companies to aid in its construction. These partners included First Solar, a US-based thin-film manufacturer, Fluence, an energy storage integrator, and Nextracker, a manufacturer of PV trackers.

The construction of the Eleven Mile Solar Center was facilitated through a $680 million tax equity financing arrangement with the US investment bank JP Morgan. This financing was allocated for both the Eleven Mile solar PV project and the 250MW Sparta solar project located in Mineral, Texas.