Solar plus storage coming to Las Vegas

Nevada has responded to the unified message of the clean energy community. The legislature furthered new policies created to bring solar to people and  establish storage systems. The state is finally reaping the rewards of these new initiatives. Two planned solar projects in Nevada would be the first in that state to include battery storage. The decision is based on  an upward trend help mitigate issues with integrating renewable energy into the larger transmission grid. The projects start next year pending regulatory approval, with the Bureau of Land Management taking public comment as part of environmental reviews.
 

Solar projects are coming to town 

At least one of the projects could help power the Las Vegas Strip. The proposed Gemini Solar Project is a $1 billion endeavor that could provide electricity to parts of Nevada, Arizona, and California. Pairing solar with storage fulfills the demand for electricity. The project is sited on federal land about 25 miles northeast of downtown Las Vegas. The plans are to install 690 MW of solar power capacity and up to 200 MW of battery storage. The second project, is called  the Yellow Pine Solar Project near Pahrump. It combines photovoltaic solar panels and lithium-ion batteries to create up to 500 MW of power. It is sited on public land near the border with California.  
 

Renewable energy initiatives 

The AB 405 created time-of-use rates to incentivize solar-plus-storage installations. The Nevada PUC developed TOU rates that customers can assess real savings in their monthly electric bills by adding storage to their installation. The utility will likely experience a decrease in their peak wholesale pricing as a result. Another bill, SB 145 was developed for storage installations, along with a program to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure. In addition, customers are applying legislation and green opportunities to further their own renewable initiatives. Two resort companies and two large data centers are sourcing their power from PV projects. The benefits are worth the costs of adopting and supporting these new technologies.  

If you want to move into the future and join the solar revolution, or if you want to find out what solar panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. You can see how much a system will cost, and how much you can save over the next 20 years. For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.