Supply and construction partners selected for Gemini solar project

Kiewit Power Constructors will serve as the project’s EPC partner, IHI Terrasun Solutions will serve as the battery integrator, and the project will use Maxeon Solar Technologies’ high efficiency bifacial solar modules.

March 4, 2022 Tim Sylvia

Las Vegas strip

Image: Wikimedia Commons/chensiyuan

Primergy Solar, a subsidiary of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, announced that it has made final selections of major equipment suppliers and construction partners for the 690MW Gemini solar project, set to be built just outside of Las Vegas and anticipated to be the largest solar project in the US upon completion.

Primergy selected Kiewit Power Constructors Co. as Gemini’s engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) partner and IHI Terrasun Solutions as the integrator for the project’s 380MW/1,520MWh lithium-ion battery, also one of the largest known to pv magazine.

According to Primergy, the two companies were chosen due to their “decades of experience in construction and installation, product development, procurement and systems integration in the renewable energy and power sector.”

As for the solar hardware, the project will utilize over 1.8 million of Maxeon Solar Technologies’ high efficiency bifacial solar modules. Maxeon’s bifacial panels use shingled cell panel technology in bifacial mono-PERC solar cells made on large format 8-inch G12 wafers. The modules offer efficiency of over 21%, enhanced shade tolerance, and power ratings of up to 625W.

“The final selection of equipment supply and construction partners for Gemini has been a long, detailed and thoughtful process,” said Managing Partner of Quinbrook, David Scaysbrook. “The Quinbrook and Primergy teams have worked diligently to evaluate each supplier’s credentials and track record from an ESG perspective in accordance with Quinbrook policies. This includes detailed supply chain investigation and materials sourcing to ensure we have procured responsibly, especially in a challenging market and regulatory environment for solar and storage equipment.”

Slated for completion in 2023 with operations beginning shortly thereafter, the Gemini project is expected to create approximately 1,000 local jobs, which will be sourced through union participation. Specifically, on-site construction workforce is expected to average 500 to 700 construction workers, with a peak of up to 900 workers, supporting up to an additional 1,100 jobs in the local community and injecting an estimated $712.5 million into the economy during construction, according to previous updates from Primergy and Quinbrook.

After a period of time where the project’s future was up in the air, the Gemini project was officially given the go-ahead in May of 2020.

The land proposed for the enormous development is on the Moapa River Indian Reservation, 33 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Among the concerns that slowed the development process were the project’s visual impact on an historic railroad camp and the Old Spanish National Historic Trail. New methods of working with native vegetation and wildlife are being implemented with the project, and Desert tortoises are being relocated during construction, later to be returned.

This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.