BY CHRIS McDANIEL
KAWC NEWS
YUMA – A new large-scale energy storage system – connected to an existing APS solar power plant in the Yuma Foothills – now provides electricity to customers, even after the sun sets.
The 35-megawatt Foothills plant is one of nine locations across the state where large-scale energy storage systems have been installed, as part of the APS “Solar After Sunset” project.
APS officials say the project is part of an annual $1.5 billion investment into the electrical infrastructure.
The nine locations provide about 200 megawatts of power, enough to serve 32,000 Arizona homes for 3-4 hours.
The lithium-ion batteries store power captured from sunlight during the day, which is then dispensed after dark – a process that has historically been difficult to achieve.
KAWC’s Chris McDaniel recently spoke with Ben Cluff, APS Director of Renewable Generation, about the new technology...