A large battery storage project just came online in Texas, southwest of Houston near Needville. Built by Ørsted and using Tesla Megapack batteries, the Old 300 Storage project can deliver 250 megawatts of power for two hours, adding up to 500 megawatt-hours of storage on the state's grid, run by ERCOT. Each Megapack unit comes with its battery, inverter, and cooling built in, which cuts down on on-site assembly work.
This isn't a project tied to your own home, but it does affect the grid you may draw power from if you live in ERCOT territory. The battery charges up when electricity is cheap or plentiful and discharges when demand spikes, which helps keep the lights on during Texas's extreme heat or cold events. It sits next to Ørsted's Old 300 Solar farm, which has been running since 2024 and generates enough electricity for around 80,000 homes and businesses, though the battery operates independently and can draw from or feed into the wider grid, not just the solar farm.
Together, the solar and battery projects are expected to bring in about $110 million in property tax revenue for local schools and services. For homeowners, projects like this mean a more stable grid, with battery storage acting as a buffer during high-demand periods, but they don't come with any direct rebate or program to sign up for at home.
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