Ørsted Commissions 500 MWh Energy Storage Project in the United States

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 5, Danish energy company Ørsted announced that its Old 300 battery energy storage project in Needville, Texas, has officially entered commercial operation. The project has a power capacity of 250 megawatts and an energy storage capacity of 500 megawatt-hours, and is fully connected to the ERCOT grid operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

The Old 300 energy storage project is co-located with Ørsted's 430 MW Old 300 solar farm, but the two facilities operate independently. The storage system can charge and discharge based on ERCOT grid supply and demand conditions, providing power to the grid when electricity demand rises or supply tightens, and participating in grid stability operations.

The project's storage equipment is supplied by Tesla, utilizing its Megapack large-scale battery energy storage system, with the equipment manufactured at the company's facility in Lathrop, California. During the construction phase, Ørsted and Tesla also conducted training with local fire departments on storage equipment technology and safety response procedures.

The co-located Old 300 solar farm has been in operation since 2024 and can meet the electricity needs of approximately 80,000 homes and businesses in Texas. Ørsted estimates that the two projects will generate approximately $110 million in property tax revenue for the local community during their operational lifetime, supporting public sectors such as schools, infrastructure, and emergency services.