Energy Northwest to construct energy storage system

Published on October 29, 2018 by Douglas Clark


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Washington state-based Energy Northwest is planning to break ground on the state’s first utility, solar and battery project during the fall of 2019, with commercial operation beginning in 2020.

Officials said the $6.5 million Horn Rapids Solar, Storage, and Training Project, which will be built in partnership with In partnership with Potelco, is part of a five-megawatt, combined solar generation and battery storage facility in Richland, Washington.

“The project will help the city of Richland meet upcoming state requirements for renewable generation,” Clint Gerkensmeyer, project manager for Energy Services and Development, said. “It’ll demonstrate that the combination of renewable electricity generation and storage technology is an economically viable option for state utilities.”

In addition to providing electricity generation and storage, the facility will also serve as a training ground for solar and battery storage technicians. Hundreds of workers from throughout the country are expected to train at the site each year, bringing to the Tri-Cities at least $3 million in annual economic benefit.

“This is why the state legislature created us, to build partnerships that directly benefit utility customers,” Brent Ridge, vice president for EN Corporate Services and chief financial officer, said. “Leaders in city government and at PNNL (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), the IBEW, the Regional Education & Training Center, Potelco and the Department of Commerce all stepped forward early to identify and propose a best-value path to meet clean energy goals.”