This edition of Projects Weekly kicks off with the U.S Army is adding a 4 MW solar system to its existing installation in Kansas. In addition, Gore Street Capital has selected GridBeyond to optimize a 200 MW energy storage system in California, and SMT Energy has secured funding for a 160 MW / 320 MWh battery energy storage facility in Texas. Plus, the latest industry news impacting solar project development.
Onyx Renewables and its partnership Corvias have added another 4 MW of onsite solar energy to a larger installation at Fort Riley in Kansas.
Corvias, a leading energy and infrastructure solutions provider, in collaboration with Sunstone Energy Development and City, Light & Power, completed Phase III of an ongoing energy independence and security effort at U.S. Army Garrison Fort Riley, recently marking a month of successful operations as part of its broader mission to support the U.S. Department of Defense’s operational resilience and readiness goals.
“This work continues to ensure a reliable and secure supply of energy to on-post housing and the surrounding area,” said Jim Champagne, Corvias senior VP of asset management at Fort Riley. “Along with our partners, Corvias continues to implement strategies to mitigate vulnerabilities and potential disruptions that may affect the readiness of service members and their families.”
Cool factor: The additional solar power makes Fort Riley’s 16 MW of total installed solar capacity one of the largest renewable energy projects in the state. Located in Geary and Riley counties, Kansas, the U.S. Army facility previously completed rooftop phases for the of the Corvias-led solar program at Fort Riley.
The project supports the DOD’s goal to provide 100% of the energy load required to sustain the critical mission of each U.S. military installation by the end of fiscal year 2030. This latest phase consisted of two solar PV arrays, both of which finished interconnection in December and provide rate stabilization and energy security to Fort Riley housing communities. The program offsets nearly 40% of annual electricity consumed by the housing community and also contributed to the $2 billion of community economic impact recently announced by Fort Riley’s Garrison Commander, Col. Jerry Nunziato.
GridBeyond tapped to optimize 200 MW energy storage system in California
GridBeyond has signed a major contract with Gore Street Energy Storage Fund to provide scheduling coordinator, trading, and energy optimization services for the 200 MW Big Rock energy storage system located in Southern California.
As the California grid is becoming increasingly reliant on solar power, energy storage systems are essential to mitigate the intermittency of renewable generation. The effective management of Gore Street Capital’s 200 MW energy storage battery will be critical in storing excess solar energy during peak generation and releasing it during high demand periods, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and supporting grid stability, while generating revenues. GridBeyond’s CAISO optimization and proprietary must-offer strategy will be a key component of fulfilling the Big Rock Resource Adequacy contract acquired by a Goldman Sachs subsidiary in October 2024.
Cool factor: GridBeyond’s AI- based Bid Optimizer is key to achieving maximum returns in the CAISO market, as shown during a multi-month simulation with several optimizers. The Bid Optimizer aligns market price forecasts with simulations of battery storage, renewable, and thermal assets to simplify decision-making while ensuring optimal bids that go beyond conventional trading strategies.
In line with its mission to support sustainability, GridBeyond is also exploring the use of public hourly emissions API data to track and calculate the carbon impact of its bidding strategies, which will further enhance the transparency of its optimization services and contribute to measurable environmental benefits.
SMT Energy secures $135 million for 320 MWh BESS project in Texas
SMT Energy has secured funding for a 160 MW / 320 MWh battery energy storage facility in Houston, Texas, known as SMT Houston IV.
As part of the capital stack, Macquarie Group and KeyBanc Capital Markets were joint lead arrangers in a $100 million project financing facility. Macquarie’s Commodities and Global Markets business also provided a preferred equity investment and are mandated to sell the project’s investment tax credits of approximately $62 million. KeyBanc also acted as financial advisor to SMT on the financing.
Cool factor: The project will be connected to the ERCOT power grid, allowing the facility to participate in the wholesale market supplying energy and ancillary services. Battery energy storage is playing an increasingly pivotal role in providing grid stability and reliability to the rapidly growing ERCOT system, which has seen significant growth in load and intermittent power generation in recent years.
Equipment for the project is being obtained by FlexGen Power Systems. The project will also use FlexGen’s energy management system software, known as HybridOS, which provides site integration, site control and advanced analytics insights to maximize the availability and operating ranges of battery energy storage assets.
With this closing, SMT Energy has 18 utility-scale battery energy storage assets, encompassing approximately 500 MWh, in operation or construction. In addition, the company has a 2 GWh pipeline of battery energy storage projects in ERCOT and Southwest Power Pool targeted for commercial operation by 2030.
Other solar project related news
ES Foundry has signed a multi-year agreement to supply 300 MW of high-performance, U.S.-made solar cells to Bila Solar, a domestic solar module manufacturer. The solar cells will be made in Greenwood, South Carolina. This strategic partnership between ES Foundry and Bila Solar highlights the growing demand for domestically produced solar technology and the ongoing shift toward onshoring critical manufacturing. By producing their solar cells and modules entirely in the United States, both companies strengthen the domestic supply chain and advance American energy dominance, economic stability and security.
“This agreement with Bila Solar underscores the increasing market confidence in American-made solar cells,” said Ken Johnston, VP of sales at ES Foundry. “By partnering with a forward-thinking module manufacturer like Bila Solar, we’re expanding access to high-efficiency solar products and driving domestic manufacturing growth. This reduces reliance on imports and reinforces the U.S. as a global leader in clean energy manufacturing.”
ES Foundry’s state-of-the-art solar cell manufacturing facility in South Carolina began production in early 2025, delivering high-efficiency monocrystalline bifacial PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact) solar cells. This partnership with Bila Solar reflects the increasing demand for scalable, U.S.-produced solar technology and reinforces ES Foundry’s ability to deliver at commercial volumes.
Illinois energy storage bill could save consumers $2.4 billion. Illinois families and businesses would see lower energy bills under HB3758 / SB2497, a newly filed bill by state legislators, Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) and Rep. Marcus Evans (D-Chicago).
“With energy prices skyrocketing across the country and leaders in Washington opening the floodgates for fossil fuels, our bill makes it clear that Illinois will remain at the forefront of lowering energy costs while investing in clean energy,” Cunningham said.
The bill would save consumers $2.4 billion on energy bills over the next 20 years by establishing a target for Illinois to build 15 GW of clean energy storage and removing barriers keeping newly built clean energy infrastructure from connecting to the grid.
“At the same time Illinois is retiring non-renewable energy sources, households, businesses, and emerging industries are consuming more power than ever,” Evans said. “HB3758 / SB2497 offers a unique opportunity to keep Illinois powered while also staying on track for our ultimate goal of 100% renewable energy.”
Deploying 15 GW of storage would create approximately 115,000 Illinois jobs, prevent more than $7 billion in blackout-related expenses, and generate more than $16 billion in total economic activity, according to a 2024 study by Mark Pruitt, former director of the Illinois Power Agency.
Further, the bill would create a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) program that allows consumers with small-scale energy installations to combine their energy and distribute it throughout the grid during times of high demand, reducing peak demand stress on the grid and lowering energy costs for all.
Tags: commercial and industrial, domestic content, energy storage
