Texas power producer mulling 198-acre battery storage site in Buckeye

Texas-based Aypa Power, an independent power producer in North America, submitted pre-application plans to develop a 400 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) project known as “Jojoba BESS” in Buckeye.

The project is proposed at a 198-acre site located north of the northwest corner of State Route 85 and Riggs Road. It will feature a modular network of battery storage units housed in metal cabinets, mounted on concrete pads and screened by a perimeter wall on all sides.

According to its application, Aypa’s purpose is to enhance grid stability and reliability while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Aypa notes it has 22 GW of energy storage and hybrid renewable energy projects in its development portfolio.

The company specializes in utility-scale energy storage, owning and operating projects directly connecting to the electric grid, according to its website.

According to its pre-application, the Jojoba BESS project will have the capacity to power approximately 200,000 homes in Arizona for up to eight hours during peak load periods. It will also provide Arizona Public Service (APS) with a failsafe to solar.

“The Site is an ideal location for this use as it connects directly to the existing nearby APS Substation to provide direct support for immediate power, back-up energy to reduce/avoid blackouts, increased grid resiliency and storage of excess solar power when the sun goes down,” the developer wrote, in the application.

Aypa anticipates that Jojoba BESS will generate roughly $43 million in new property tax revenue over 20 years for the City of Buckeye and Maricopa County, according to the report.

Zoning and land use consultant, Rose Law Group PC, submitted the application for Aypa.