Irish company BNRG and its US joint venture partner Dirigo Solar are to supply renewable electricity to a public utility in the north-east US under a 20-year power purchase agreement.
BNRG said the contract, which was awarded by the Maine Public Utilities Commission, adds to recent successes in the US state.
The projects are located in Augusta and Eddington and are in addition to the Maine PUC’s award to the company in 2015 for 108MW.
Both facilities are scheduled to come online in the spring of 2023 and represent an investment of more than $50m, creating over 400 jobs during construction and ongoing operations.
The PUC decision will increase the joint venture’s projected investment in Maine to approximately $290m in invested capital.
BNRG founder and director David Maguire said the decision by the PUC underlined Maine’s vision and commitment to mitigating the impact of climate change while adding low cost solar power to the grid for its citizens.
He said: “Maine is recognizing that solar can out compete other forms of energy while providing the added benefits of jobs, community investment and zero carbon. A win, win, win.
“These contracts are also an example of the partnership approach we will bring to our projects in Ireland as we embark on a very similar journey following our three recent awards through the Renewable Energy Support Scheme (RESS),” he said.
Three BNRG projects, to deliver 60 MWp of solar power to the grid, were awarded through the RESS in August.
The capacity will be spread across three projects in Wicklow and Kildare.
The plants are scheduled to be commissioned in the second half of 2021.