191 MWdc Solar Farm & Battery Storage Project

Utility-scale solar refers to large solar power plants that generate electricity for the power grid, providing clean and renewable energy to homes, businesses, and industries. These power plants use solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to convert sunlight into electricity, which is then transmitted to the grid.

A utility-scale energy storage system is a facility designed to store electricity for use when demand is high. These systems improve grid stability, enhance reliability, and support the integration of renewable energy sources by storing excess electricity and delivering it when needed.

Utility-scale solar projects consist of rows of solar panels mounted on the ground, typically in areas with high solar exposure. These projects may also include tracking systems that allow the panels to follow the sun’s movement, maximizing energy generation throughout the day. Utility-scale energy storage projects typically consist of battery units housed in protective enclosures, similar in appearance to shipping containers, strategically placed near solar installations or grid infrastructure.

• Clean Energy Production: Reduces dependence on fossil fuels and lowers carbon emissions.
• Energy Cost Savings: Helps stabilize electricity prices by providing a low-cost, renewable energy source.
• Grid Reliability: Stores excess energy for use when demand is high or during low solar generation periods.
• Job Creation: Supports the local economy by creating construction and operations jobs.
• Minimal Environmental Impact: Solar farms use non-invasive land management practices and often include vegetation that supports pollinators and local ecosystems.

Solar energy complements conventional energy sources by supplying power during peak demand periods, such as hot summer afternoons when electricity use is high. When paired with energy storage, solar farms can provide reliable electricity even when the sun isn’t shining. Energy storage helps stabilize electricity prices by mitigating the variability in power supply and demand, reducing reliance on expensive peak-hour power generation.

Utility-scale solar and energy storage projects improve grid resilience, reduce power outages, and enhance the efficiency of renewable energy integration. These projects also generate tax revenue for local governments, funding infrastructure improvements and public services, and create jobs during construction and operation.

This project will generate significant economic benefits for the local and regional communities, including:

• Increased investment in the community, boosting the local economy
• Job creation during both construction and operation
• Additional tax revenue for local jurisdictions

By supporting local businesses and providing employment opportunities, the project contributes to long-term economic growth and community prosperity.

The project will provide to support local services, schools, and infrastructure. This funding helps improve community resources and may reduce the tax burden on residents over time.

Studies across the U.S. show that utility-scale solar and energy storage projects do not negatively affect local property values. These projects are typically designed with visual screening and operate quietly, ensuring minimal impact on neighboring properties. In some cases, nearby properties have even seen value appreciation due to increased infrastructure investment in the area.

A vegetative screening plan incorporating native trees and shrubs will be implemented to blend the project into the landscape. This ensures minimal visual impact while enhancing local native biodiversity.

Modern solar panels are designed with anti-reflective coatings to maximize light absorption rather than reflect it. Additionally, careful site design, along with native vegetative screening, minimizes any potential glare for neighboring properties and roadways.

The project includes comprehensive wildlife protection measures such as establishing buffer zones around sensitive areas, adjusting construction timelines to avoid critical seasons, and preserving existing habitat. These steps follow environmental best practices and regulatory guidelines, ensuring we minimize disruption and support biodiversity throughout the project’s lifecycle.

Across Texas, warming trends and shifting environmental conditions are making it harder for many species to survive, by altering the habitats they depend on. Our utility-scale solar and energy storage project helps address these broader challenges by reducing the need for fossil fuels like natural gas, which are a key contributor to these changes. While any development has a footprint, the impact of this project is far smaller than the widespread disruptions being driven by emissions-intensive energy sources. By supporting clean energy, we’re contributing to a healthier, more sustainable environment for wildlife across the state.

The project prioritizes water resource protection by avoiding jurisdictional waterways, implementing erosion control measures, and ensuring sustainable land management practices.

Modern crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar panels are consistently characterized as non-hazardous under the EPA’s testing procedure which tests for leaching of toxic chemicals. Such testing creates conditions much more extreme than in the field: chopping up solar panels into tiny pieces, submerging them in an acidic solvent, then agitating them. Even in these extreme conditions, modern c-Si solar panels do not present a risk of leaching toxic chemicals or PFAS.[1] Testing consistently finds that the leachate concentrations of chemicals are far below the EPA’s allowable thresholds, therefore characterizing the solar panel leachates as non-hazardous, safe enough to be in sandboxes.

[1] https://poweralliance.org/2024/11/16/are-solar-panels-are-filled-with-toxic-chemicals-that-leach-into-our-water-supply/

Construction will produce minimal temporary noise, but all work will be conducted during permitted hours to minimize disruption. Once operational, the project will generate minimal sound, primarily from batteries, inverters and transformers, which are typically inaudible beyond the site boundary.

A detailed visual assessment has been conducted to ensure that the project remains unobtrusive. Landscaping measures and careful site design further minimize visibility from surrounding communities.

The Rain Lily Solar & Storage project prioritizes fire safety through a comprehensive, multi-layered fire prevention and emergency response plan. This includes:

• Compliance with Safety Codes: The project complies with all relevant national fire safety codes, including NFPA 70 (NEC), NFPA 855, and the International Fire Code (IFC). The equipment proposed to be utilized is certified to UL 9540, UL 9540A, UL 1973, UL 1642, IEC 62619, and other global standards governing the safe deployment of lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS).
• Fire Prevention Measures: Fire risks are proactively mitigated through:
  • Vegetation management, firebreaks, and physically isolating the BESS from all other equipment and structures.
  • The BESS uses non-walk-in, IP66-rated steel enclosures that resist intrusion, prevent flame spread, and require no internal human access.
  • Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) chemistry, selected for high thermal stability and significantly reduced thermal runaway risk.
• Integrated Fire Protection System: The BESS integrates fire protection directly into the equipment’s physical architecture through a thermal management system (TMS) that provides active cooling, and a battery management system (BMS) that continuously monitors temperature, voltage, current, and state-of-charge.
• Coordination with Local Fire Departments: We actively collaborate with the local fire departments to ensure they are informed, trained, and equipped to respond to any potential incidents. We provide site-specific emergency response plans, equipment-specific training, direct communication lines with site operators, and hotline access to equipment technicians.

The battery energy storage system complies with the most stringent fire safety and reliability standards, including:

• NFPA 855 – Governs battery storage installation, spacing, signage, and fire response protocols.
• UL 9540 & UL 9540A – Full-system fire testing and certification for thermal runaway behavior and containment.
• UL 1973 / UL 1642 – Battery module safety, fault tolerance, and abuse condition survivability.
• NFPA 68 & NFPA 69 – Explosion control and venting protocols (via engineered system per §9.6.5.6.4).
• OSHA & EPA – Ensures safe handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials.
• IEC 62619, IEC 62933-5-2, IEEE 693 – Covers international standards for battery safety, grid integration, and seismic resilience.

Additionally, our system undergoes rigorous third-party testing and engineering reviews to meet multiple international safety certifications, including standards for transportation, cybersecurity, and electrical components.

We recognize local community concerns about fire response times and are proactively working with local first responders and emergency services to address each of them. Our approach includes:

• Pre-Incident Planning & Training: We provide local fire departments with site-specific training, emergency response plans, and direct communication channels with project operators. Our non-walk-in equipment design reduces firefighter risk by eliminating the need to enter battery enclosures.
• 24/7 Monitoring & Support: The energy storage system is continuously monitored in real time for potential faults and hazards, allowing for automated mitigation and immediate intervention if needed.
• Built-In Safety Controls: Each battery cabinet contains:
  • Internal fuses and thermal management for localized fault containment to an individual battery cell.
  • Non-toxic combustion profile (confirmed through UL 9540A testing).
  • Flame, heat, and gas propagation controls that prevent external fire spread from enclosure to enclosure, even in worst-case events.

Yes. The Rain Lily Solar & Storage project meets or exceeds all national, state, and local safety regulations, ensuring compliance with fire protection codes and standards, environmental regulations, and operational reliability in accordance with industry best practices.

Specifically, the project:

• Meets or exceeds all applicable NFPA, IFC, IBC, OSHA, and EPA codes and standards.
• Incorporates equipment certified under UL, IEC, and IEEE protocols, validated via comprehensive UL 9540A testing at the cell, module, and unit level, and backed by third-party testing and engineering reviews.

The project is led by an experienced team with a proven track record in developing, constructing, and operating utility-scale solar and energy storage projects. Our team works closely with regulatory agencies, fire safety consultants, third-party testing and certification experts, and battery energy storage system manufacturers to ensure the highest safety and performance standards. Additionally, our team has a demonstrated capability in navigating code compliance and ensuring long-term operational safety.