PV plant developer National Grid Renewables has commenced operations at its Noble solar-plus-storage project in Denton County, Texas. The installation consists of a 275MW solar PV farm and 125MWh energy storage system.
The Noble project will utilise series 6 First Solar thin-film modules as part of the ongoing relationship between the manufacturer and National Grid Renewables, which saw a 2GW supply deal signed earlier this year for modules to be delivered in 2024-25.
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Located in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas region, the project already has three power purchase agreements (PPAs) in place. The Home Depot and NRG Energy have each signed 100MW PPAs for Noble, and The Hershey Company has accounted for a further 50MW of capacity.
In October, another PPA was signed between National Grid Renewables and The Hershey Company for power produced at the Copperhead Solar & Storage Project, also in Texas.
“With the start of operation at our Noble project, National Grid Renewables brings online our first utility-scale energy storage project, as well as our largest solar energy project to date,” said Blake Nixon, president of National Grid Renewables.
Through the first 20 years of its operation, Noble is expected to generate around US$26 million in new tax revenue.
Noble will also Fluence Energy’s Gridstack product for energy storage.
John Zahurancik, SVP and president of Americas at Fluence, said: “This project is a great example of how solar-plus-storage deployments deliver impactful environmental benefits and reliable energy. We are proud to stand alongside leaders like National Grid Renewables, working shoulder to shoulder with energy users and suppliers to support the clean energy transition.”