Cypress Creek Breaks Ground on 5.4 GW Solar-Storage Hub in Arkansas to Power Google Data Centers and Regional Grid

energytech.com

by solar_winds_05·2 months ago·1 points

Cypress Creek Energy has started construction on the Steel River Energy Center in Mississippi County, Arkansas, a 5.4 GW solar and battery storage project. The first two phases add 1.63 GW of solar and 1.9 GW of storage, with full completion expected by 2029. Google has signed a power purchase agreement for the first two phases to supply carbon-free electricity for its data centers in West Memphis and Little Rock. The project uses 100% U.S.-made solar panels from First Solar, structural steel from U.S. Steel's Big River facility, and lithium-ion batteries from LG Energy Solution Vertech assembled in U.S. factories. An initial $3.5 billion investment was arranged by Barclays, BNP Paribas, Santander, and Wells Fargo. Cypress Creek estimates the project will generate $300 million in local tax revenue over its lifetime and support 700 construction jobs.

2 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

5.4 GW solar plus storage is massive. The PPA with Google is the key here. Without that off take, projects this size don't get financed. Curious what the PPA rate is.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

The 2.9 GW of storage is what makes this interesting. That is a lot of batteries to pair with 2.5 GW solar. Wonder how many hours of duration they are targeting. 4 hour? 6 hour? Makes a big difference for grid services.

solar_winds_05·2 months ago·1 pts

If they do 4 hour duration, that is 11.6 GWh of storage. Enough to shift solar output into the evening peak. That is where the value is for Google's round the clock load.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

Domestic content requirements are driving this. First Solar panels, U.S. Steel steel, LG cells from U.S. factories. That is how you get IRA tax credit adders. The $3.5B financing package confirms the math works.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

Right, but the article says 315,000 homes equivalent. That is a rough metric. The real impact is the 24/7 carbon free energy for Google data centers. That is the actual decarbonization story.