Renewable energy firm to develop 2,000-acre solar project near Phoenix, powering 70,000 homes
Story Highlights
- Avantus plans 2,000-acre solar project near Phoenix for 70,000 homes
- Construction of Pinyon Solar Project begins fall 2026, ends 2028
- Project will generate $100M in tax revenue for local services
A renewable energy company plans to develop more than 2,000 acres near Phoenix for a utility solar energy project set to generate energy for around 70,000 Arizona homes.
A subsidiary of California-based Avantus Clean Energy expects to begin construction in the fall of 2026 on its Pinyon Solar Project, which will include solar technology and battery storage facilities.
The project will be located south of State Route 238, west of State Route 347 and north of Interstate 8.
Avantus expects construction to take 18 months and end in early 2028.
“We selected this location to minimize impacts both on the surrounding environment and local communities,” said Colin Mann, director of permitting, in a statement shared with Phoenix Business Journal. “One important factor is the site’s proximity to the nearby Pinal West Substation, where the project can connect to Arizona’s grid without extensive infrastructure buildout.”
Avantus has one of the largest utility-scale solar and energy storage portfolios under development in the country, according to the company’s website.
Mann said the Pinyon Solar Project will require around 500 workers during its peak construction period and will have five permanent, full-time staff during operation.
“Beyond job creation, the Pinyon solar and storage project will generate over $100 million in tax revenues to benefit local services, such as schools, public safety and infrastructure, throughout its operating life,” Mann said.
Electricity demand continues to rise quickly in Arizona, Mann said, as the state’s population grows. Industry expansion, new data centers and record heat also contribute to the need for additional energy resources, he added.
“Last year, the state saw 113 consecutive days of temperatures at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, breaking records for electricity use,” he said. “Solar and energy storage projects like Pinyon are a critical part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy, providing cost-effective solutions to meet local electricity demand this decade and power Arizona’s growing economy.”
Plans for the site include a battery energy storage system facility on around 24 acres of the land as well as a substation and equipment housed in stackable metal structures.
Maricopa County approves rezoning for solar site
The Maricopa County board of supervisors voted without discussion Oct. 1 to rezone the site and designate its land use from rural development to utilities.
Around 241 acres of the site that Avantus plans to develop is privately owned land within unincorporated Maricopa County. The remaining 1,788 acres is owned by the Bureau of Land Management and is located within Goodyear and unincorporated Maricopa County.
The Avantus subsidiary plans to build, operate, maintain and eventually decommission the Pinyon Solar Project, which is expected to generate up to 300 megawatts.
The proposed area for the project offers “steady and direct” sunlight availability, according to county documents.
“Multiple solar projects have been proposed in the area due to the ideal location,” the documents show.
The project’s proposed location will be mostly obscured from travelers’ view along the major roads nearby, according to the documents.
The project comes at a challenging time for new clean energy development efforts. President Donald Trump’s administration has so far this year defunded solar and wind energy projects by ending federal subsidies and deprioritizing future projects.
“Avantus remains focused on delivering reliable, affordable clean energy across the West, and is working with policymakers at the local, state and federal levels to navigate policy and regulatory shifts,” Mann said. “The Desert Southwest has unique, competitive advantages for solar and storage — abundant, non-arable land and sunshine, with grids that require local energy generation and non-water intensive energy sources.”
Pinyon will also use photovoltaic technology that doesn’t require the significant amount of water needed for other solar technology, according to county documents.
“As a result, this development would not pose a threat to the groundwater supply,” according to the county.