ContourGlobal has commenced construction on Project Sterling, a 450-megawatt solar farm located in the Arizona desert. The facility, situated 20 miles north of Lake Havasu City, spans over 2,000 acres and is scheduled to begin operations in 2028.
The infrastructure will feature more than 760,000 solar panels and over 300 battery storage containers using lithium iron phosphate technology. The system is designed to provide 1.4 gigawatt-hours of storage capacity, allowing for up to 16 hours of daily clean electricity delivery.
Tesla has secured a long-term power purchase agreement for approximately 1 terawatt-hour of electricity annually, representing 90% of the plant's projected output. The agreement also includes associated renewable energy certificates.
The project is connected to the Western Area Power Administration grid with secured transmission rights into the California Independent System Operator market. Construction is expected to employ 400 workers and includes the development of a 5.2-mile access road.
Project Sterling is financed through private investment, supported by an equity bridge loan from a consortium of international banks. Upon completion, it will serve as the largest renewable energy asset in the ContourGlobal portfolio.
