Summary
The McNeal Solar and Battery Storage Project in Cochise County, Arizona, is built, owned, and operated by Silicon Ranch on behalf of Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC). With a generation capacity of 20 MWAC and an 80 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system, the project generates enough electricity to power over 4,000 Arizona homes annually and also provides the electric cooperative with the ability to store electricity generated in the battery and then release it into the grid when the power is needed. The project contributes significantly to energy reliability, energy independence, and stable electricity prices in SSVEC’s service area. The McNeal Project also features a new substation that enables SSVEC to interconnect to the grid and distribute electricity from the project at different voltages securely and reliably to homes and businesses across its system.
Land Stewardship
The land developed for the McNeal Solar Project was seeded with a mix of native perennial grasses and broad-leaf annuals that germinate in cool and warm season conditions and require no irrigation. The annuals establish and provide soil cover more quickly than grasses and have long-lived seeds. The multi-species perennial grasses re-grow every spring and develop deep roots that pull carbon out of the air. The carbon is stored below ground, feeding microorganisms in the soil and leading to rich, healthy soil in the long-term and reduced erosion and runoff.
In the Community
Silicon Ranch and SSVEC formed a unique partnership to provide additional benefits to the local community. The companies donated more than $60,000 to fund a new, top-quality surface for the outdoor basketball and volleyball court at McNeal Elementary School, which was in dire need of repair. Officials from McNeal Elementary School, Silicon Ranch, and SSVEC gathered along with students to dedicate the new surface and celebrate completion of the project with a ribbon cutting.
Facts & Figures
20 MWac
Locally Produced Renewable Energy Capacity
4,200
Homes the Project can Power Annually
80
Hours (MWh) of Clean Electricity Project can Deliver to the Grid as Needed
$65,000,000
Capital Investment that Improves Local Economic Growth
$3,400,000
New Tax Revenues over 40 Years to Fund Local Priorities
140
Jobs Created
