Advanced Power turns on Cutlass Solar to supply power to Houston area

Advanced Power’s Cutlass Solar project has achieved full commercial operations, supplying 140 MWdc of reliable, renewable power to the Greater Houston area.

The completed 700-acre PV solar generating facility began delivering power into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) system in July 2022. Today’s announcement completes the transition from construction and testing to full commercial operations. Advanced Power will continue as the facility’s asset manager and SOLV Energy is its operator.

Advanced Power and its co-investors, ENEOS Corp. and Fuyo General Lease Co. Ltd. own the facility.

“Cutlass Solar exemplifies Advanced Power’s continuing growth as a global developer, manager and owner of modern power infrastructure. We are committed to bringing reliable power to growing areas that need it, such as Greater Houston,” said Collin Brown, Advanced Power’s vice president of development based in Houston. “We are equally pleased to be contributing to the community through tax revenues to support the county and local schools.”

The Cutlass Solar site is located approximately 40 miles southwest of Houston in Fort Bend County, Texas. It employs bifacial solar panels provided by JA Solar and technology that includes a ground-mounted single-axis tracking system.

“This is a state-of-the-art renewable electric generating facility that will benefit the region with sustainable energy for years to come,” said John Coleman, the project’s director of construction for Advanced Power, who is also Houston-based. “Many people and organizations from Greater Houston were instrumental in building this vital new power resource which is benefiting ERCOT’s energy portfolio and the people of Texas who rely upon it. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”

Bechtel, a global leader in the design and execution of complex power projects for more than 60 years, was responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the facility.

Cutlass Solar is Advanced Power’s first operational project in a robust 8 GW renewable and low-carbon development pipeline across the United States. Additional projects in the ERCOT pipeline include:

• Talitha Energy – 189 MW direct current (dc) with the optionality to add battery storage
• Oriana Solar – 232 MWdc with the optionality to add battery storage
• Eldora Energy – 238 MWdc with the optionality to add battery storage
• Elio Energy – 190 MWdc with the optionality to add battery storage
• Alina Energy – 245 MWdc with the optionality to add battery storage

Advanced Power is a privately-owned global developer, manager and owner of modern power infrastructure. As an independent power producer, the company develops low-carbon and renewable electric generating projects in North America.

— Solar Builder magazine

[source: https://solarbuildermag.com/projects/advanced-power-turns-on-cutlass-solar-supply-houston/]