Rawhide Prairie Solar to produce 22 MW solar, 2 MWh battery storage
FORT COLLINS, Colo., March 31, 2021 – Platte River Power Authority’s latest solar installation began commercial operation earlier this month, featuring the utility’s first use of battery storage, a technology critical to the organization’s goal of achieving a 100% noncarbon energy portfolio by 2030.
Located at Platte River’s Rawhide Energy Station, the Rawhide Prairie Solar project generates up to 22 megawatts of solar energy, enough to power approximately 6,000 homes annually in Platte River’s owner communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland. The project also includes a Tesla battery pack capable of storing up to 2 megawatt-hours of energy.
“The battery at Rawhide Prairie Solar continues Platte River’s thoughtful approach to investment in energy technology,” said Jason Frisbie, CEO and general manager of Platte River. “Platte River staff will gain valuable experience utilizing energy storage to integrate noncarbon resources before we accelerate adoption of this technology.”
The project is located on approximately 150 acres adjacent to the 30-megawatt Rawhide Flats Solar installation, which began commercial operation in 2016. Together, the projects bring Platte
River’s solar capacity to 52 megawatts and further diversify the organization’s resources located at the Rawhide Energy Station.
“We were able to repurpose existing land at Rawhide and connect directly to our transmission system, which further reduces costs to our owner communities,” Frisbie added.
DEPCOM Power provided the engineering and construction of the project and will provide operations and maintenance services to Platte River under a 20-year power purchase agreement. Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC is the owner of the project.
“Rawhide Prairie Solar was our first solar-plus-storage project and it's incredibly rewarding to see it up and running,” said Greenbacker co-CEO Charles Wheeler. “Energy storage will play a crucial role in the future of renewable energy, bringing many practical benefits to consumers and the community, as well as advantages for producers and offtakers of clean power. We're happy to partner with the Platte River Power Authority and DEPCOM to put this technology to work in Colorado.”
Rawhide Prairie Solar joins four other noncarbon resources currently serving Platte River’s owner communities under long-term agreements. For more information, visit prpa.org.
# # #
About Platte River Power Authority
Platte River Power Authority is a not-for-profit, community-owned public power utility that generates and delivers safe, reliable, environmentally responsible and financially sustainable energy and services to Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, Colo., for delivery to their utility customers. For more information, visit prpa.org.
About DEPCOM Power
DEPCOM Power is a partner in utility scale solar for: Project Development Support, Engineering, Procurement & Construction and Operations and Maintenance services for utilities, independent power producers and project development companies. DEPCOM Power leverages a highly experienced solar team, technology and agnostic top-tier solar modules, and cost- effective balance of system components to provide optimum levels of agility, price and quality for utility scale solar. For more information about DEPCOM Power, please visit depcompower.com.
About Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC
Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC is a publicly reporting, non-traded limited liability company that acquires and manages income-generating renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, and other energy-related businesses. The projects in which we invest, such as solar and wind facilities, sell power under long-term contracts to high credit worthy counterparties such as utilities, municipalities, and corporations. For more information, please visit greenbackercapital.com.
