US power platform MN8 Energy, zinc-based long-duration energy storage (LDES) manufacturer Eos Energy Enterprises and tech giant Google have agreed to develop an integrated solar and energy storage project in West Virginia to supply clean, dispatchable power to the PJM grid, including Google’s data centre operations in the region.
The project, at MN8’s Mammoth Solar site in Kanawha County, will combine 86MW of utility-scale solar PV, 10MW/100MWh of Eos’ zinc-based long-duration energy storage (LDES) and 70MW/280MWh of lithium-ion battery storage.
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The solar plant is expected to reach commercial operation in 2028, followed by the lithium-ion battery in 2029 and the LDES system in 2030. The project will be the first commercial-scale LDES deployment in West Virginia, according to the companies.
MN8 said the project has been designed as a single dispatchable resource, combining short- and long-duration storage with solar generation to better match the electricity demand profile of data centres.
Google will purchase the project’s energy, capacity and clean energy attributes under the agreement. The deal forms part of Google’s wider programme to support the commercialisation of LDES and add new electricity generation capacity to the grids where it operates.
“This project reflects what MN8 does best: understanding a customer’s unique energy profile and building a solution around it,” said Jon Yoder, president and CEO of MN8 Energy. “Because Google was willing to pair next-generation storage with utility-scale solar, we could engineer proven and emerging technologies into one dispatchable resource – and deliver clean, around-the-clock power where the grid needs it most.”
The project will be built on a reclaimed coal mine and is expected to represent up to US$350 million in capital investment, according to MN8. The construction is expected to create around 200 jobs locally.
The project also brings together US-based supply chains, with Eos manufacturing its zinc-based storage systems in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while MN8 operates a portfolio of energy projects across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
New York-headquartered MN8 has more than 4GW of operating and under-construction renewable assets across 29 states. Founded within Goldman Sachs, the company recently reached commercial operations at two utility-scale solar PV plants totalling 260MW in the US.
Recently, MN8 agreed to acquire US independent power producer (IPP) Greenbacker Renewable Energy, creating a renewable energy platform with more than 6GW of operating and under-construction capacity across 33 states. The deal combined the company’s 4.3GW portfolio with Greenbacker’s approximately 1.9GW fleet.
The technology trends shaping US PV manufacturing will be under discussion at our PV CellTech USA event in California on 13-14 October. For full details, click here.
