Solar developer/owner Primergy Solar LLC, a portfolio company of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, is currently working on the highly anticipated $1.2 billion Gemini Project located near Las Vegas, Nevada. After a comprehensive review, Primergy selected Kiewit Power Constructors Co. as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) partner and IHI Terrasun Solutions as the battery storage integrator.
Both companies have decades of experience in construction and installation, product development, procurement and systems integration in the renewable energy and power sector. Maxeon Solar Technologies was also selected to provide its high efficiency bifacial solar modules.
“The final selection of equipment supply and construction partners for Gemini has been a long, detailed and thoughtful process,” says David Scaysbrook, Managing Partner of Quinbrook. “The Quinbrook and Primergy teams have worked diligently to evaluate each supplier’s credentials and track record from an ESG perspective in accordance with Quinbrook policies. This includes detailed supply chain investigation and materials sourcing to ensure we have procured responsibly, especially in a challenging market and regulatory environment for solar and storage equipment. We believe we have chosen the best possible technical combinations for a milestone project and applaud our respective teams for their efforts to get to this point.”
The unprecedented Gemini project is a $1.2 billion, 690 MWac/966 MWdc solar array and 1,416 MWh storage facility that will deliver power when Nevadans need it most.
The project will feature over 1.8 million solar modules installed on approximately 6,500 acres of federal land and will produce enough clean energy to power the entire city of Las Vegas.
During the construction phase, Gemini is expected to create approximately 1,000 local jobs, which will be sourced through union participation. Construction is expected to be completed in 2023 with operations beginning shortly thereafter.
“The Gemini Project is extraordinary in its scope and scale, and we are excited to join Primergy in significantly expanding the availability of clean energy,” said Dave Flickinger, Executive Vice President of Kiewit Energy Group, Inc.
Primergy has invested in minimizing the physical footprint of the Gemini project where practicable to both preserve and protect local flora and fauna.
The company has partnered with biologists to create the industry’s first Desert Tortoise Relocation Plan, which tracks, cares for and will safely reintroduce the protected species back into their natural habitat once construction is complete.
Additionally, Primergy will implement responsible and efficient construction processes, such as using alternative site preparation methods, establishing narrow road corridors into the project site, and building appropriately spaced, raised rows of solar modules to ensure nearly 80 percent of the land on site remains open to the sky.
“While the size, scale and innovative integration of solar PV coupled with battery storage makes Gemini one of the most complex clean energy projects ever developed, Gemini also sets new and timely benchmarks in sustainable infrastructure development,” explained Ty Daul, CEO of Primergy. “Through Gemini, Primergy has pioneered a holistic approach to responsible project development that considers complete ecosystem management, collaborative partnerships with local and community stakeholders and undertakes careful due diligence in supply chain and equipment selection. This ensures the company procures responsibly, minimizes environmental impact and delivers lasting community benefits across jobs, training and ongoing education in the benefits of large-scale clean energy infrastructure.”
Primergy’s Nevada portfolio alone exceeds 1,300 MWac of solar and 3,330 MWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) under contract with NV Energy as well as multiple additional projects in the development phase. Established in 2020, Primergy has quickly established a leadership position in large scale solar and storage projects with a growing platform now exceeding 6 GW of both operational and development assets across the US.
Tags: utility-scale
