Solar+Storage

Duke Energy's solar portfolio grows in North Carolina with the addition of two new plants

Continuing its efforts to grow renewable energy in North Carolina, Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions, a nonregulated commercial brand of Duke Energy, recently began commercial operation of two major solar facilities in the state.

  • The 50-megawatt (MW) Broad River Solar power plant in Cleveland County
  • The 22.6-MW Speedway Solar power plant in Cabarrus County

Even with the 2021 challenges of COVID-19 and supply chain constraints, our team remained focused and delivered these projects on time. We could not have completed these projects without the support of our vendors and the people of Cleveland and Cabarrus counties."

Chris Fallon, president of Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions

The facility's design, procurement of inverters, balance of plant systems and construction of the project were performed by Swinerton. The solar power generated by both projects will be delivered through 20-year power purchase agreements. Together, the projects can power about 15,000 homes during a year.

North Carolina is fourth in the nation for overall solar energy. The outlook is promising for more solar energy in the future with the passage of the Energy Solutions for North Carolina (HB951) law in 2021.

"Solar power is a major focus for Duke Energy as we target 70% carbon reduction by 2030 in North Carolina and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 under HB951," said Stephen De May, Duke Energy's North Carolina president. "We expect solar to play a leading role in our clean energy future."

A leader in renewable energy
Duke Energy is leading the largest clean-energy transformation in the United States. It maintains more than 4,100 MW of solar power on its energy grid in North Carolina, which could power about 800,000 homes and businesses at peak output. The company also operates more than 40 solar facilities in the state. With nuclear, hydro and renewable energy, more than half of North Carolina's energy mix is carbon-free.

Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions
Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions is a nonregulated commercial brand of Duke Energy – a Fortune 150 company and one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. – headquartered in Charlotte, N.C.

Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions is a leader in sustainable energy, helping large enterprises reduce power costs, lower emissions and increase resiliency. The team provides wind, solar, resilient backup power and managed energy services to over 1,000 projects across the U.S., with a total electric capacity of more than 5,100 megawatts of nonregulated renewable energy. Visit Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions and follow on LinkedIn and YouTube for more information.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy strategy to create a smarter energy future for its customers and communities – with goals of at least a 50% carbon reduction by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The company is a top U.S. renewable energy provider, on track to operate or purchase 16,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2025. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues.

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Greenwood Sustainable Infrastructure (GSI)-Led Joint Initiative with Ocean Man First Nation to Build One of the Largest Solar Projects in Canada

PR Newswire | January 25, 2024

Greenwood Sustainable Infrastructure LLC (GSI), one of the renewable energy subsidiaries of Libra Group, announced that Iyuhána Solar (Iyuhána), a GSI-led partnership with Saturn Power Inc. and Ocean Man First Nation, has been awarded a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to construct and operate a 100-megawatt (MWac) utility-scale solar facility in Saskatchewan, Canada. Developed in partnership with Ocean Man First Nation, the project will be one of Canada's top 10 solar facilities by size. Under an exclusive PPA, the largest with a utility in Canada since 2015, Iyuhána plans to invest approximately $200 million (CDN) to construct the solar facility, which it will operate, supplying generated power to the principal municipal utility company, SaskPower, for 25 years. Located in the Rural Municipality of Estevan in southeast Saskatchewan, this emissions-free solar facility will produce enough power for the equivalent of approximately 25,000 homes. "We are proud to bring the transformative power of solar energy to Saskatchewan by working with partners such as Ocean Man First Nation," said Mazen Turk, CEO of GSI. "This unique collaboration shows the power of renewable energy to harness resources and empower communities responsibly. This work is core to our ethos as a Libra company, and we look forward to continuing to help support a clean energy future across Canada and beyond." As a founding partner, Ocean Man First Nation will have an ownership stake in Iyuhána Solar. Band members will also receive specialized training to maintain the solar facilities and employment opportunities with the project. Additionally, partnering with two of Saskatchewan's leading post-secondary academic institutions, Iyuhána will provide scholarships, internships, and direct research projects in clean energy to benefit the community. "Our partnership with GSI and SaskPower will bring great opportunities for Ocean Man First Nation, including employment and revenue that will provide stability and sustainability for our Band," said Chief Connie Big Eagle, Ocean Man First Nation. "We are proud that this project, which is able to generate clean power, will be known as Iyuhána Solar, which, in Nakotah translates to 'everyone' or 'all of us.' This is derived from our Nakotah belief that everyone and everything is related and therefore we must care for each other." While investment in renewable energy grows across Canada, Saskatchewan's clean power supply mix has predominantly consisted of hydro and wind. This is the first of many planned solar projects in the province; by 2035, SaskPower plans to support approximately 3000 MW of new renewable energy capacity in the region. "This new solar facility will play an important role in our path to net-zero by 2050 or sooner," said Rupen Pandya, SaskPower President and CEO. "We are proud of our ongoing collaboration with Indigenous peoples and the critical role they are playing in the successful expansion of renewable energy in our province." GSI is one of four renewable energy subsidiaries of Libra Group, a privately owned, global business group that encompasses 20 businesses in six sectors, including renewable energy, maritime, aerospace and more. The Group's renewable energy portfolio encompasses approximately 3.5 gigawatts (GW) of projects owned, developed, or pending development in 10 countries, including solar, wind, battery storage, and waste-to energy projects. This is the second partnership with an indigenous community led by a Libra Group subsidiary. "Libra Group is proud of this novel partnership, which has come together through shared values and a commitment to driving economic growth and positive outcomes for communities," said Libra Group's CEO Manos Kouligkas. "Sustainability is core to our global business, and we look forward to continuing to leverage synergies across our six sectors in 60 countries with agility and impact." Last year, GSI acquired Saturn Power Inc.'s solar and battery development portfolios, including its team of seasoned developers and an approximate 1.4-gigawatt (GW) pipeline of early- to late-stage solar and energy storage projects. Today, GSI has a footprint across Canada and in 12 U.S. states. About Greenwood Sustainable Infrastructure Greenwood Sustainable Infrastructure (GSI) is one of the clean energy subsidiaries of Libra Group. GSI is a renewable energy company focused on the development, construction, and operation of distributed generation and utility-scale solar energy and battery storage projects in North America. As of January 2024, the company developed approximately 388 MW DC across 71 renewable energy projects, many of which are still owned or operated by GSI and have an additional project pipeline of 1.6 GW. GSI's seasoned team has a proven track record of investing in power assets and partnering with multiple top-tiered investors. For more information on Greenwood Sustainable Infrastructure (GSI), visit: http://www.greenwoodinfra.com/ About Ocean Man First Nation The Ocean Man First Nation is a Nakota, Cree, and Saulteaux Band Government in southeast Saskatchewan. OMFN is led by Chief Connie Big Eagle & Council and features a population of 565 members. Ocean Man First Nation created a renewable energy company in 2019 called Second Wind Power. The name Second Wind Power reflects Ocean Man First Nation's history of relocating, re-establishing and starting over as a new community since 1989. About Libra Group Libra Group is a privately owned, global business group encompassing 20 businesses predominately focused on aerospace, renewable energy, maritime, real estate, hospitality, and diversified investments. With assets and operations in nearly 60 countries, the Group applies the strength of its global network and capabilities to deliver cross-sector insights and growth at scale.

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