Cypress Creek Renewables has announced that it has completed construction and achieved commercial operation of its newest and largest hybrid facility, Zier, in Brackettville, Texas. The facility adds capacity to the electric grid as the state’s energy needs reach record highs.
The power plant has a photovoltaic capacity of 208 MW, enough power to power more than 41,600 homes in Texas annually, with 80 MWh of battery storage, already used by the ERCOT network to alleviate supply stress during a time of increased demand .
“Clean, reliable energy is critical to supporting the remarkable continued growth in Texas,” said Sarah Slusser, CEO of Cypress Creek Renewables. “We are incredibly proud to bring more solar and dispatchable energy online from batteries like ours at Zier, which have already proven critical to keeping the lights on and the air conditioning running when Texans need it. need most.”
Cypress Creek celebrated commercial operation of the site on May 2, 2024, with a ribbon-cutting event for its delivery, construction, financial and community partners in Kinney County. The project will generate $11.5 million in tax revenue for the county, with another $11.7 million earmarked for the Bracket Independent School District.
“Texas needs every megawatt available, and low-cost renewable energy has proven critical as it continues to reach new production heights at ERCOT,” said Judd Messer, Texas VP of Advanced Power Alliance. “Solar provides ample capacity during peak daytime hours and sets records almost every month, and fast-response energy storage delivers a significant reliability benefit when demand surges or available energy unexpectedly falls offline. A diverse mix of resources is the only way to ensure our electric grid is both reliable and affordable, and it is encouraging to see new projects, such as the Cypress Creek facility, coming into service to secure these benefits for Texas to set.”
Cypress Creek is backed by EQT Partners, a purpose-driven global investment organization.
Financing for the project was provided by several partners, including the North American Development Bank (NADBank), a binational financial institution established to provide support for projects that preserve, protect or enhance the environment to improve the well-being of the people of the United States to promote. and Mexico. The infrastructure funder’s Managing Director John Beckham spoke at the May 2 event.
Cypress Creek has been developing projects in Texas since its founding in 2014 and, through Cypress Creek Solutions, the company’s operations services company, operates nearly 1 GW across the state, including 18 projects owned by Cypress Creek. Across Texas, Cypress Creek has a 6 GW pipeline with 24 projects in construction or development, including a 100 MWh standalone battery storage project in Rosenberg, near Houston, expected to be commercially operational next month.
News item from Cypress Creek Renewables
