ContourGlobal has powered up a 185MWp solar park in Colorado, United States.
Black Hollow Sun 1 (BHS 1), the first phase of a larger solar project, has begun delivering electricity to Platte River Power Authority.
The photovoltaic facility (pictured) is located near the Town of Severance and represents ContourGlobal’s first operational renewable plant in the US.
ContourGlobal is also constructing the second phase of the project, BHS 2, which will add 139MWp and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
Together, the BHS 1 and BHS 2 power complex will reach a total capacity of 324MWp, making it Northern Colorado’s largest solar project and Platte River’s largest contracted solar asset.
Once fully operational, the complex will produce around 608GWh of clean energy each year for Platte River Power Authority, the community-owned utility serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Estes Park, and Longmont.
This is enough clean electricity to power more than 73,000 homes in Northern Colorado while avoiding almost 450,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
The commissioning of BHS 1 marked a highlight of ContourGlobal’s 20th anniversary celebrations, underscoring its commitment to becoming a predominantly renewable independent power producer (IPP).
Chief executive Antonio Cammisecra said: “The start of operations at Black Hollow Sun 1 is a pivotal moment for ContourGlobal, marking our first US renewable plant to reach operational state, and especially meaningful as we celebrate our 20th anniversary since the company was incorporated in the US.
“This project, together with Black Hollow Sun 2 targeted for completion by the end of 2026, exemplifies our strategy to deliver clean, reliable power while strengthening our commitment to local communities and partners such as Platte River Power Authority.”
As part of its 20-year presence in the US energy market, ContourGlobal is using American-manufactured solar modules supplied by its partner Qcells, which is also providing its integrated EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) solutions for this project.
ContourGlobal’s planned renewable capacity in the US includes an additional 1GW of solar PV and 0.3GW of battery energy storage projects at various stages of maturity, from late development to advanced construction.