Ørsted turns on 500 MWh battery project with co-located solar in Texas

The 250 MW/ 500MWh Old 300 Storage project in Needville, Texas, has reached commercial operations according Ørsted, co-located with a 430 MW solar project.

Old 300 Storage is fully integrated into the ERCOT grid and will be operated independently from the Old 300 Solar installation, which has been generating since 2024.

Energy storage for the project comprises Tesla Megapacks manufactured at the company’s Lathrop, California facility. Ørsted said the developer and Tesla have been working in collaboration with the Needville Fire Department to provide “comprehensive education” on the energy storage technology and safety response protocols.

Melissa Peterson, president of Ørsted Americas Onshore noted that BESS has been playing a larger role on the ERCOT grid, providing power at times of tight supply and demand margins.

“Achieving commercial operations at our Old 300 Storage project will have tangible benefits, such as strengthening grid reliability by providing additional resources to Texas grid operators and allowing for more diverse and localized energy options as electricity demand continues to grow.”

Old 300 Storage is part of a growing onshore portfolio developed by Ørsted in the United States. Major projects include a 300MW/1200MWh BESS located developed with Salt River Project and located alongside the Eleven Mile Solar Center in Pinal County, Arizona. The project was commissioned in 2024 and represented an approximate $1 billion investment by Ørsted in clean energy for Arizona

Following the Old 300 BESS entering commercial operations, Ørsted now has a 6 GW of operational onshore US energy projects. The international developer, which has its global headquarters in Denmark, estimates the Old 300 solar and storage projects combined will inject approximately $110 million in property tax revenue for the local area.