A global energy company is looking to cover a big slice of southern Goodyear with panels and batteries, filing plans for a roughly 5,011-acre solar and storage complex that would put out about 550 megawatts of solar power and store another 550 megawatts. The project, called Desert Rainbow, is slated for Rainbow Valley and is pitched as producing enough carbon-free electricity to serve the equivalent of roughly 165,000 homes. At that scale, it would rank among the largest utility-scale solar footprints proposed in Arizona in recent years.
What's planned
AES describes Desert Rainbow as pairing approximately 550 MW of photovoltaic generation with 550 MW of containerized battery energy storage on about 5,000 acres of privately owned land. The company projects the buildout could generate about 1.37 million MWh a year, support more than 360 construction jobs at peak, and bring in more than $200 million in tax revenue over the life of the project. AES also says the layout is intended to keep Waterman Wash and special flood hazard areas intact while the company moves through environmental and cultural studies. According to AES.
Where it would sit
City records show a special-use permit application, Case No. P25-00259, submitted by Desert Rainbow LLC for roughly 5,011 acres south of Queen Creek Road and east of Waterman Wash in Rainbow Valley. The city notice lays out a solar field with trackers, an electrical collector system, containerized BESS units, a collector substation, laydown yards, and access roads, with an anticipated 40-year lifespan and a decommissioning plan built in. The filing lists Estrella South LLC as the property owner and includes contact details for both the applicant and city staff. According to City of Goodyear.
Timeline and local process
AES has penciled in development and permitting through 2029, with construction expected to run from 2029 to 2032 and operations following that window. The company estimates more than 360 construction jobs at peak activity and about 20 permanent operations roles once the facility is up and running. Before any of that happens, public hearings and city review still have to clear the special-use permit. According to AES.
Why it matters
Large-scale solar paired with battery storage is becoming a go-to move in the Valley to help cover the late-day electricity crunch, and Desert Rainbow’s size would put it firmly in the standout category for Arizona projects. Local coverage has flagged the proposal as one of the state’s largest by footprint, with roughly 550 MW of solar generation and a matching amount of storage spread across more than 5,000 acres. That kind of buildout brings familiar land-use debates, from wildlife and habitat concerns to surface-water and floodplain issues, which city review and environmental studies will have to sort through. According to ABC15 Arizona.
Legal and environmental review
The project’s special-use application still has to work its way through Goodyear’s permitting process, and residents will get chances to weigh in at hearings and meetings along the way. The city notice names Ann Dolmage as the staff contact and lists Caleb Weeks of bfsolaw.com as the applicant contact for Desert Rainbow LLC. If the permit is approved, it would spell out conditions for operations and decommissioning, along with any mitigation tied to environmental or cultural resources. According to City of Goodyear.
