Construction has officially begun on the 300-MW solar and 1,200-MWh storage Pioneer Clean Energy Center in Arizona, marking a major milestone for large-scale renewable energy development in the state. The project is being developed by BrightNight, in partnership with Cordelio Power, and will deploy Fluence Energy’s Gridstack Pro battery energy storage system (BESS).
Once completed, the Pioneer Clean Energy Center is expected to play a key role in supporting Arizona’s growing electricity demand by pairing utility-scale solar generation with long-duration energy storage designed to improve grid reliability.
BrightNight officials said the project reflects the increasing need for dispatchable clean energy as population growth and electrification place new demands on the grid.
“Pioneer will deliver reliable, dispatchable clean power that Arizona needs to support its rapid growth,” said Martin Hermann, CEO of BrightNight. “This project demonstrates how large-scale renewables paired with advanced storage can provide firm capacity and real grid resilience. We are pleased to work with partners who share our commitment to building the next generation of energy infrastructure.”
The solar-plus-storage facility will allow power generated during peak sunlight hours to be stored and dispatched when demand is highest, strengthening system flexibility for Arizona utilities.
The energy storage portion of the project will utilize Fluence’s Gridstack Pro solution, which incorporates U.S.-manufactured battery cells, modules, enclosures and thermal management systems. Project leaders emphasized that domestic manufacturing plays a growing role in advancing U.S. energy security and supply chain resilience.
“We first put storage on the U.S. grid to meet exactly the kind of reliability needs Arizona is facing, and we have since proven that it can be delivered at massive scale,” said John Zahurancik, Chief Customer Success Officer, Fluence. “We are proud to partner on this project, demonstrating that U.S.-made battery systems can meet critical power needs reliably and cost-effectively.”
Arizona Public Service (APS), the state’s largest electric utility, has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) covering all electricity generated and stored by the Pioneer Clean Energy Center. The agreement underscores utilities’ growing reliance on combined solar and storage projects to meet reliability and clean energy goals.
Commercial operations for the project are expected to begin by April 2027, according to the developers.
Originally reported by Kelly Pickerel in Solar Power World Online.
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