By Marl Cowling | Pinal Central
FLORENCE — Design review for a new battery storage center near the north end of Attaway Road and a permit for 75-foot cellular tower near Anthem were approved Oct. 17 by the town Planning and Zoning Commission.
“This is a very exciting project that could have a very nice benefit to our environment,” Commissioner Duane Proulx said of the battery storage. “And what’s great is Florence is going to be part of it.”
“Hopefully you’re going to do public tours,” commission Chairman Lonnie Frost said.
The non-lithium battery storage center will be on Attaway Road, a half-mile north of Judd Road, as part of Salt River Project’s Copper Crossing Energy and Research Center in the northern town limits. Battery storage systems enable energy from solar or other renewable sources to be stored and then released when the power is needed.
“We are very eager to test and try this technology … and we hope to have it online by the end of 2025,” Chico Hunter with SRP told the commission. A solar field that will supply the batteries will be installed around the same time, he said.
The battery project, to be called Desert Blume, will be a partnership of the nonprofit utility SRP and CMBlu Energy. It will have a 5-megawatt capacity with a 10-hour duration, using CMBlu’s unique non-lithium technology. CMBlu will build, own and operate the batteries on 3.4 acres leased from SRP.
