Brookfield files proposal for 'Speedway': a 900 MW solar + storage project in Oregon

Brookfield announced it had approached the Oregon Department of Energy to develop a solar + storage project in the American state.

The Speedway Solar and Battery Storage Project is proposed to have 900 MW of solar generation capacity coupled with a battery energy storage system (BESS) to enhance the reliability and stability of generation project and support the state electricity grid.

Once completed, it would be among the largest clean energy projects in the West Coast state. Brookfield did not disclose the size of the battery, but the company is reportedly aiming to obtain the final order and site certificate by 2026. The company said it has filed a notice of intent (NOI) with Oregon authorities. 

The Speedway project is strategically located just outside of Grass Valley and next to an existing transmission line, thus eliminating the need for additional transmission lines to reach the grid, the company said in its statement.

It added that the project's layout would set it apart from other such projects. Speedway --- named because of a nearby racetrack -- will come up on 9,500 acres of private land and have solar arrays aligned in "ribbons" along the edges of existing fields. This will protect existing farms and wildlife corridors and allow the project site to continue to be used for agriculture.

John Soininen, vice president of development at Brookfield Renewable US, said in a statement: "With Speedway, we want to preserve the county's legacy of natural resource stewardship," adding, "By working with the landowners, we can reach our twin goals of decarbonizing the grid and maintaining the character of the region."