A renewable energy developer announced plans Monday for a massive solar project near the Apex Industrial Park the could export power across the Southwest grid. The proposed solar array on up to 7,100 acres of land is the latest renewable project looking to capitalize on falling costs for solar and an abundance of desert land managed by the federal government.

Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, an investment firm, told Bloomberg that it could spend $1 billion on the project and said in a statement that it could start construction on the Gemini Solar Project as early as the third quarter of 2019. First the project has to be reviewed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for its environmental impacts. The BLM, which controls 67 percent of the land in the state, also manages the public land where the solar arrays would be sited.

“Solar energy is on the rise in Nevada and is now being offered at historic low prices which is great news for retail consumers and local industry," Jeff Hunter, Quinbrook’s senior managing partner said in a statement. “We share the state's commitment to minimizing the impact on Nevada's land, water, and wildlife as renewable energy facilities are incorporated."

On Friday, the BLM said that it would begin its environmental review of the project with meetings for public comment the week of July 30. Conservationists have pushed back on large-scale wind and solar projects because of the impacts they have on ecosystems and threatened species.

The company, currently marketing the power to potential buyers, touted the location of the solar array for its proximity to Las Vegas and transmission lines that connect the Nevada grid with Arizona and California. A large portion of power from the 690-megawatt project — about 440 megawatts — will go into the NV Energy grid, according to Quinbrook’s announcement.

Quinbrook’s announcement reflects a larger trend in the renewable energy industry. The solar project could include battery storage, a technology that can make solar resources more reliable. Without batteries, solar is an intermittent power supply on the grid. Solar arrays generate power when the sun is shining but production trails off after the sun sets. Batteries can store excess solar in the day so it can be dispatched later in the day, fixing some intermittency issues.

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