Longroad Energy hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate $2 billion in solar + storage Sun Steams Complex in Maricopa County, Arizona.
More than 200 people attended the April 24 event, including Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) Commissioner Lea Marquez Peterson, and executives from Arizona Public Service (APS), Longroad Energy, McCarthy Building Cos. and U.S. Bancorp Impact. Finances.
The occasion celebrated the progress made to date on the more than 6,000-acre solar and storage complex and the benefits it brings to Arizona. The Longroad Sun Streams Complex consists of three projects with a total of 862 MWdc (665 MWac) of solar energy and 515 MWac / 2,060 MWh of storage. The project also supports 1,000 construction jobs and provides more than $300 million in benefits to Arizona schools and communities through long-term leases with the Arizona State Land Department and tax payments.
“The Longroad Sun Streams Complex is a powerful example of how responsible land management and the ambitious expansion of renewable energy infrastructure are delivering a wealth of benefits to the citizens of Arizona,” said Hobbs. “Revenues of $300 million generated through land leases and taxes directly benefit Arizona schools and communities. The Sun Streams projects will provide a clean energy source to support the reliability of the electric grid and ensure Arizonans stay cool on the hottest summer days. Additionally, Sun Streams generates family-sustaining construction jobs and supports a skilled workforce in the clean energy sector that helps position our state as a hub for innovation and sustainability.”
The total output of the two largest projects in the complex, Sun Streams 3 and Sun Streams 4, has been purchased by APS through long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). The projects will help support system reliability in Arizona, especially during the summer months of peak demand.
McCarthy, whose Renewable Energy team is based in Phoenix, was the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the three projects at the Longroad Sun Streams Complex.
“The impact Longroad’s Sun Streams Complex is having on our state is significant,” said Scott Canada, executive vice president of McCarthy’s Renewable Energy team. “Longroad’s investment in Arizona’s energy infrastructure goes beyond delivering power to Arizona residents and businesses. They help create more jobs in the state’s growing energy sector and support Arizona families today and into the future. It is an honor to partner with Longroad and be part of the positive impact this energy complex is having on Arizona.”
Impact Finance was the sole tax equity investor for the two largest Sun Streams projects.
Project details
The Longroad Sun Streams Complex currently consists of three projects. When completed, the complex can be expanded with more than 950 MWdc of solar energy and 600 MWac/2,500 MWh of storage.
- Sun Streams 2 – 200 MWdc solar energy project. Operational since mid-2021.
- Sun Streams 3 – 285 MWdc solar and 215 MWac / 860 MWh storage project. Commercial activities in 2024.
- Sun Streams 4 – 377 MWdc solar and 300 MWac / 1,200 MWh storage project. Sun Streams 4 is Longroad’s largest project to date. It reached its peak construction in 2024 and commercial operations are expected in mid-2025.
All three projects use responsibly sourced modules from the Arizona headquarters First solar energy and trackers from Nextracker. The battery energy storage systems (BESS) at both Sun Streams 3 and 4 are supplied by Powin. Comprehensive operations and maintenance services for Longroad’s three projects will be provided by its Arizona headquarters Novabron.
The Sun Streams 3 battery yard, which is nearing completion, covers more than 15 hectares. About 1 million battery cells will be installed.
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