Duke Energy has completed two solar projects in Alachua and Suwannee counties in Florida, with a combined capacity of almost 150MW.
These are the latest sites in the company’s community solar programme portfolio Clean Energy Connection.
The 74.9MW High Springs Renewable Energy Centre in Alachua consists of approximately 216,000 single-axis tracking solar panels.
The 74.9MW Hildreth Renewable Energy Center is built on 635 acres in Suwannee County.
At peak output, each site will generate enough carbon-free electricity to power what would be equivalent to around 23,000 homes.
With a combined investment of over US$2bn, Duke Energy Florida’s solar generation portfolio will include 25 grid-tied solar power plants that will benefit all of the company’s 1.9 million Florida customers, it said.
These projects will provide about 1500MW of emission-free generation using approximately 5 million solar panels by 2024.
Duke Energy’s Florida state president Melissa Seixas said: “The company is well on its way to meeting a major milestone by placing its 21st solar project in operation by the end of this year, delivering on our customer commitment to provide reliable, affordable, clean energy.
“These investments allow Florida customers to enjoy renewable energy, while also providing cost savings by reducing fuel use.”
Through the Clean Energy Connection programme, Duke Energy Florida customers can subscribe to solar power and earn credits toward their electricity bills without having to install or maintain their own equipment.
Customers subscribe to a portion of solar energy from the company’s Clean Energy Connection solar portfolio.
The monthly subscription fee will help pay for the cost of construction and operation of the renewable energy centres and is added to a customer’s regular electric bill.
Customers also receive a corresponding subscription credit that represents their share of the energy produced by the solar centres in a given month, multiplied by the subscription credit rate, which escalates over the life of the subscription.