APS seeks partners to expand solar energy in Arizona

As part of an initiative to add enough new renewable energy to power the equivalent of 3 million solar panels by 2025, Arizona Public Service (APS) is seeking partners to bring two projects to fruition.

APS, the state’s largest utility, recently announced initiatives to produce nearly one gigawatt of new clean energy to provide customers with more renewable energy after the sun goes down.

Now, it is issuing requests for proposals for solar and battery installations to reach that goal.

“These projects aim to make solar work harder for APS customers and ensure our state’s peak energy needs are met with even more clean energy,” said Brad Albert, Vice President of Resource Management for APS. “Gone are the days of the sun dictating solar power’s hours. With our new energy storage projects, APS will be giving customers solar after sunset.”

The first request for proposals (RFP) seeks partners to add batteries to existing APS solar plants in rural Arizona, storing their power for use after the panels stop producing each day.

A second partner is sought to develop a large new solar plant, paired with storage.

These projects are the next step in APS’s goal to add to its arsenal of renewable energy resources to meet growing demand.

APS customers need almost double the electricity at peak times in the summer than other times of the year. These projects will allow the company to serve Arizona’s unique and growing power needs with expanded solar and energy storage, company officials said.

Storage at existing solar plants APS is seeking partners to bring more storage to rural Arizona by installing batteries at existing solar plants in Chino Valley and Red Rock.

The Chino Valley facility in Yavapai County provides 19 megawatts of clean, solar energy. Red Rock in Pinal County, APS’s newest and largest owned solar facility, provides 40 megawatts. Both batteries will be operational by 2021.

New solar-plus-storage plants APS plans to build 500 megawatts of new solar generation plus storage and stand-alone battery storage by 2025. APS is seeking partners to build the first of these: a new 100-megawatt solar facility to be paired with a 100-megawatt battery.

Phoenix-based APS serves about 2.7 million people in Arizona. Using a balanced energy mix that is 50 percent carbon-free, APS has one of the country’s most substantial renewable energy portfolios. It also owns and operates the Palo Verde Generating Station, the country’s top power producer and largest producer of carbon-free energy.

Information about proposal requirements and bidder registration will be available online April 3, at APS request for proposals.

For more information on APS’ solar storage and other clean-energy advances, visit managing solar after sunset.