EDF Renewables North America, a subsidiary of French energy company EDF, has inaugurated the Arrow Canyon solar + storage project in Clark County in the US state of Nevada.
The project is located on the Moapa Indian Reservation, 20 miles (32km) from Las Vegas, and comprises 275MW of solar and a 75MW five-hour battery energy storage system.
It features 621,000 bifacial solar photovoltaic modules along with 564 battery storage system segments from a tier 1 supplier.
Electricity generated during peak solar hours can be stored and dispatched later in the day, achieving a balance between electricity generation and demand.
The energy storage system can also help reduce electricity prices, manage peak energy demands in the evenings and bring grid stability.
The project can produce clean energy for 57,600 average Nevada households.
The power generated from the solar + storage project will be sold to NV Energy under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) signed in July 2019.
It will avoid more than 632,000 metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually – equivalent to removing 137,000 passenger vehicles from the streets every year.
Arrow Canyon has been designed to have minimal impact on wildlife, habitat and other environmental resources.
The company began construction on the project in September 2021. The solar segment was completed in December 2022 and the storage in November 2023.
Construction created 450 jobs, 10% of which were allocated to local members of a First Nations tribe.
EDF Renewables executive vice-president Ryan Pfaff stated: “Arrow Canyon represents an important milestone for EDF Renewables as it marks our first solar and storage project in Nevada. We are pleased to have collaborated closely with our partners including the Moapa Band of Paiutes, NV Energy and McCarthy Building Companies to successfully bring this project to fruition.
“The local economic impact of Arrow Canyon is a source of great pride for us, generating jobs and providing the Tribe with a long-term lease income stream throughout the project’s operating life.”
NV Energy business development and external relations executive vice-president Tony Sanchez stated: “We are proud that this project helps bring low-cost, reliable solar energy to our customers – and the addition of energy storage capabilities allows us to extend the benefits of renewable energy well into the evening, when the sun is not shining.
“We look forward to continuing to work with our communities and stakeholders to advance a renewable energy vision that supports our customers as well as Nevada’s economic and sustainability goals".
