Hybrid wind-solar-battery clean energy project in Oregon brought online by NextEra Energy Resources
Author: Andy Colthorpe
NextEra Energy Resources has brought into operation a renewable energy project combining wind, solar PV and battery storage in Oregon, thought to be the first US hybrid project of its kind. An inauguration event was held yesterday for the hybrid power plant, which is near the city of Lexington, in Oregon’s Morrow County. The celebration was attended by state and local community leaders, together with representatives from NextEra and its partner in the project, utility Portland General Electric (PGE). The battery storage and pairing of two different renewable energy technologies allows the system to dispatch energy for more hours of the day – and night, supporting PGE’s climate goals of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 80% by the end of this decade and achieving net zero emissions across operations by 2040 as well as serving customers with zero emissions energy. NextEra owns 100MW of the wind generation, while one of its subsidiaries owns the rest of the hybrid plant’s assets. Meanwhile PGE will buy power from the solar array and battery system over 20-year and 30-year power purchase agreements (PPAs).