AES Completes Phase One of the Largest Solar-Plus-Storage Project in the US
—
Power company AES Corporation has successfully finished the construction of the 1,000 MW Bellefield 1 project located in Kern County, California. This ambitious project comprises 500 MW of solar energy generation and 500 MW/2,000 MWh of battery storage. Bellefield 1 is the first phase of the larger Bellefield initiative, which will ultimately include another 500 MW of solar and a 500 MW, four-hour battery energy storage system (BESS).
Once fully completed, the entire Bellefield project will total 2,000 MW, consisting of 1,000 MW of solar and 1,000 MW/4,000 MWh of BESS. This will position it as the largest solar-plus-storage facility in the United States. Notably, the project has secured a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Amazon.
AES acquired the Bellefield project from developer Avantus in 2023. The company reported that the construction of Bellefield 1 generated over 700 union jobs, with expectations of creating around 1,000 union jobs at the peak of construction for Bellefield 2. AES anticipates significant earnings from the operational launch of Bellefield 1 in the second half of 2025, with construction on Bellefield 2 slated for completion in 2026.
To enhance efficiency during construction, AES employed Maximo, an AI-enabled robotic system designed to improve safety, speed, and accuracy in solar module installations. This robotic arm can reportedly perform solar panel installations in half the time and cost compared to traditional methods.
Recent financial disclosures from AES indicate that the company is collaborating with US or South Korean suppliers for approximately 80% of its battery requirements for 2026 and 2027. Furthermore, AES has imported all necessary batteries for its projects this year, positioning the company to meet its timelines for Bellefield 1 and the completion of Bellefield 2.
Upon becoming fully operational, the Bellefield project will surpass the Edwards & Sanborn project, also in California, to become the largest solar-plus-storage facility in the US. Andrés Gluski, president and CEO of AES, remarked, “Completing the first 1,000 MW of Bellefield demonstrates how rapidly solar and storage can be deployed to meet the growing energy demand of data centers.”
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/aes-achieves-milestone-with-completion-of-phase-one-of-largest-solar-plus-storage-project-in-the-us/
