Solar Site and Battery Energy Storage Provides Flexible and Reliable Carbon-Free Energy for Washington

Housed on the north outskirts of Richland, Washington, the Horn Rapids Solar, Storage and Training project is the state’s first utility-scale solar and battery site. The developer, Energy Northwest, brought us on board as owner’s engineer for the battery storage facility and to design the system of connections between the solar site, battery and energy grid.

The 20-acre solar field boasts more than 11,400 panels capable of up to 4 megawatts, enough to power 600 homes. The 1-megawatt battery can store enough energy to power 150 homes for four hours, creating a more reliable and flexible option during peak usage times. This site also serves as a training program for solar and battery storage technicians.

Our team provided:

• EPC specification and selection: We developed the technical specifications for the request for proposals, reviewed and evaluated bids, and helped select the contractor for the battery energy storage facility.
• Design and construction support: Our team reviewed battery energy storage facility plans and was onsite during construction to oversee work and troubleshoot issues.
• Energy connections: We designed a three-way system to route power from the solar field to battery storage and the grid depending on usage times. We also designed a series of meters to collect energy generation data for developers, utility providers and the city.