Invenergy Commissions 250MW Ohio Solar PV Project
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US renewable power developer Invenergy has successfully commissioned the 250MW Hardin III Solar Energy Center in Ohio. The electricity generated by this project, along with its associated renewable energy credits (RECs), will be sold to Microsoft through a power purchase agreement (PPA). This latest project follows the commissioning of the 150MW Hardin I/II projects within the same county in Ohio, which began operations in January of this year. Those projects also secured a PPA, but with another tech giant, Meta.
“Hardin III Solar is the culmination of a decade-long collaboration with Hardin County and the local community,” said Michael Kaplan, senior vice president of development at Invenergy. “We’re proud to have worked with dedicated partners to deliver meaningful local investment and support home-grown energy here in Ohio.”
The Hardin III project utilizes bifacial solar modules produced by Illuminate USA, a manufacturer based in Ohio and owned by Invenergy. Illuminate USA’s efforts exemplify both the achievements and challenges faced by the US manufacturing sector. While the country is rapidly expanding its module production capacity, the production of other materials and components continues to lag.
In February, Illuminate USA celebrated a year of production, having manufactured 2.5GW of solar panels, coinciding with the US annual module manufacturing capacity surpassing 50GW. However, a Bloomberg report last year indicated that Illuminate USA relied on solar cells and glass sourced from Malaysia and aluminum frames from Vietnam for its modules. This dependence presents challenges for US manufacturers, especially as policies enacted during the Trump administration have disrupted the solar supply chain.
Analysis from Wood Mackenzie indicated that the imposition of tariffs on foreign goods, despite many being temporarily suspended, would likely “significantly” increase costs for solar and storage developers in the US. Moreover, the progress of the proposed “One Big, Beautiful Bill” could undermine initiatives from the Biden administration designed to bolster domestic clean energy manufacturing, potentially leading to unintended consequences for the emerging solar manufacturing sector.
Despite these concerns in the manufacturing landscape, Invenergy remains committed to expanding its deployment efforts. Earlier this year, the company commissioned a 300MW PV project in Texas and secured $1.27 billion for new renewable energy portfolios in Texas and Kansas.
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This article highlights Invenergy’s commitment to solar energy development and its efforts to collaborate with local communities, while also shedding light on the challenges and dynamics of the US solar manufacturing market.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/invenergy-launches-250mw-solar-pv-project-in-ohio/
