Ozarks Electric and Today’s Power have broken ground on a 10MW sun-tracking solar PV system in a city in the US state of Arkansas, which will be coupled with a 24MWh of battery energy storage, as the city works toward its goal: “to operate on 100% clean energy by 2050”.
Two 6MW/13MWh lithium-ion systems will be situated at two water treatment plants in Fayetteville— which currently “consume more electricity than any other city facility”— and are expected, through load reduction and generation from renewables, to account for slightly more energy than the total combined annual consumption of the plants.
It is expected that the US$23 million system will increase the proportion of Fayetteville’s renewable energy consumption to 72% from 16%, and thereby save the city $6m over two decades.
The city has contributed $560,818 to the project, and “expects a return on the investment in a little more than three years”.
“Fayetteville is committed to combat climate change by supporting a low-carbon economy and creating good jobs in energy efficient and renewable energy”, said Mayor Lioneld Jordan. “Through this important agreement the Fayetteville community moves closer to several goals in our energy action plan.”
Today’s Power— a wholly owned subsidiary of Arkansas Electric— will own 100% of the lithium-ion battery system and 99% of the solar PV system, with the city owning the remainder.
Completion of the project is expected in late summer 2019.
