Developer X-ELIO has held a groundbreaking ceremony for its 72MW Liberty Solar Plant and 60MW Battery Energy Storage System Project in Liberty and Harris Counties, Texas, USA.
The Liberty 1 Solar Plant is expected to be operational by early 2024 and will generate 137GWh of clean energy per year, creating more than 125 construction jobs. The BESS project, co-located with the solar plant, is the company’s largest industrial battery project to-date and its first in the US.
X-ELIO will invest a total of $136.7 million in the combined projects.
The event was attended by X-ELIO’s country manager for the US Kerri Neary; Harris County director of sustainability Lisa Lin, senior vice president and site manager for the Freeport BASF site Brad Morrison, and local community representatives.
The company also announced three local X-ELIO Community Plan Program initiatives. Funding recipients included: The dWelling, a local wellness and community-building organization; The Liberty River Trade Food Bank; and a marketing and content project with Meals On Wheels. The company also announced ongoing conversations and initiatives with three other associations in the Harris County Area expected to be celebrated shortly.
“We are delighted to be here today with BASF and other local stakeholders as we break ground on the Liberty 1 Solar and BESS project,” said Kerri Neary. “It is a major step forward for our business strategy and an important milestone for the energy mix in Texas.”
“We are excited to partner with X-ELIO on our journey towards net-zero emissions,” said Brad Morrison. “As a result, BASF and X-ELIO have signed a 12-year PPA that will supply 48MW of solar power to our Verbund plant in Freeport, Texas. With this agreement in place, 100% of Verbund’s expected purchased power will be supplied by renewable energy.”