Avantus' Aratina 1 Project Reaches Commercial Operations, Adds 200 MW Solar and 500 MWh Storage to CA Grid

Independent power producer Eolian has commenced construction on the Flint Grid, a 200 MW / 1.06 GWh energy storage project located in Jersey Township, Licking County, Ohio. The project represents one of the larger standalone battery storage developments in the PJM interconnection region and is designed to provide capacity, energy arbitrage, and ancillary services to the Midwest grid. Ohio has seen accelerating BESS development activity as developers target the state’s favorable interconnection queue positions and growing demand from data center load growth. The groundbreaking signals a transition from permitting and financing to execution, with the project expected to contribute to PJM’s resource adequacy requirements upon completion.

European Energy has reached financial close on the 40 MW / 80 MWh co-located battery storage system at the Mokoan Hybrid Solar Farm in Victoria, with non-recourse financing provided by Deutsche Bank. The project was selected under Australia’s Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS), reflecting federal government backing for bankable renewable-plus-storage projects. Financial close on a non-recourse basis demonstrates the improving bankability of merchant-exposed or partially contracted BESS assets in the Australian market. The Mokoan project will provide dispatchable capacity to the Victorian grid, which faces growing evening peak demand and coal retirement timelines. This transaction adds to the growing evidence that Australian BESS projects are achieving investment-grade financing structures.