DESRI breaks ground on 205MW Arizona solar-plus-storage site

US independent power producer (IPP) DESRI has begun construction on a 205MW/1,000MWh solar-plus-storage project in the state of Arizona.

DESRI – full name, D.E Shaw Renewable Investments – bought the Catclaw solar and storage project in Buckeye, Arizona, from US solar developer Avantus last year. The site features a 250MW, 4-hour duration battery energy storage system (BESS) and is expected to begin operations in 2026.

Catclaw has a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) in place with APS, the Arizona Public Service, the statewide energy provider.

Renewables firm RES will serve as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the site; Tesla will provide the battery storage equipment. DESRI did not confirm the solar equipment supplier.

“DESRI currently owns 131MWac of operating renewable energy assets and 160MWac of solar assets under construction in Arizona; Catclaw is our first project with Arizona Public Service (APS),” said Bob Schoenherr, chief strategy officer of DESRI.

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MUFG finances Origis Energy’s 350MW solar portfolio in the US

US renewable power developer Origis Energy has secured a financing package from Japanese bank MUFG to support the development of a 350MW solar portfolio in the US.

The portfolio comprises two projects: the 150MW Wheatland solar project in Indiana and the 200MW Optimist project in Mississippi.

The latter will be co-located with 50MW of battery storage using 4-hour batteries.

Both projects are expected to be commissioned in the first half of 2026, and Origis has secured power purchase agreements (PPAs) for each; power from the Wheatland project will be sold to CenterPoint Energy, a utility headquartered in Texas, while power from the Optimist project will be sold to the Tennessee Valley Authority.

MUFG was the coordinating lead arranger for the deal, the value of which has not been disclosed. The investment has been supported by a number of other lenders, including the National Bank of Canada, NatWest and Siemens Financial Services.

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rPlus Energies secures $500 million for 400MW/1.6GWh Utah solar-plus-storage project

Renewables developer rPlus Energies has secured more than US$500 million for a 400MW/1.6GWh solar-plus-storage project in Emery County, Utah, US.

The financing was secured through a tax equity commitment of over $500 million from RBC Community Investments and a consortium of investors. The funding will leverage the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) to support the development of the Green River Energy Centre.

The Green River Energy Centre, currently under construction, includes 400MW of solar PV and 400MW/1,600MWh of battery energy storage system (BESS).

The solar-plus-storage project is expected to be completed in 2026. The company describes it as one of Utah’s largest planned solar-plus-storage projects.

The project is backed by a power purchase agreement (PPA) in place with US utility PacifiCorp, which was signed by both parties in October 2022.

“This project will use federal tools, such as the investment tax credit, to ensure that rural communities continue to lead the country’s energy production,” said Luigi Resta, CEO of rPlus Energies.

See the full version of this article on PV Tech.