Video: Wind, solar and storage combine in Oregon

November 16 -- The first utility-scale energy system in North America to co-locate wind, solar and battery storage has been commissioned in Morrow County, Oregon.

Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facilities, developed by NextEra Energy Resources LLC and Portland General Electric (PGE), will rely on lithium batteries to store up to 120 MWh of power generated by a 300 MW wind farm and 50 MW solar farm for delivery to the electric grid on demand. At maximum output, the facility will produce more than half of the power that was generated by Oregon’s last coal plant, which was recently demolished.

The utility-scale facility co-locates wind and solar generation with battery storage. Source: PGE

The renewable energy and storage system will play a key role in helping PGE meet Oregon’s targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from power served to retail customers by at least 80% by 2030, 90% by 2035 and 100% by 2040. Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facilities has the capacity to power the equivalent of 100,000 homes.