In early 2019, Duke Energy completed construction of its largest pure solar farm to date in Clayton, North Carolina.
The 800-acre site is made up of over 70,000 photovoltaic solar panels, each weighing approximately a ton, and it produces more than enough energy to power 15,000 homes.
We spoke with Duke Energy senior manager of corporate communications Jennifer Delery about how the farm is performing and what owners and residents of the area can expect.
The Biggest Solar Farm In North Carolina
The 800-acre Clayton solar farm is the culmination of years of work by Duke Energy. In 2014, the company started construction on what was then envisioned as a 900-acre solar farm and, later that year, broke ground on the final portion of the project.
The first phase of the solar farm project involved the installation of approximately 25,000 solar panels on the roofs of 25 shopping centers and distribution centers throughout the Raleigh Triangle. These panels provide electricity to the centers, which in turn provide their services to the local community.
Once the original phase of the project was completed, Duke Energy began planning the next phase. At the time, the company stated that the final phase of the project would be 10 times the size of the first.
In early 2019, the company broke ground on the biggest solar farm in North Carolina to date at the 800-acre site in Clayton. The solar farm will be made up of over 70,000 photovoltaic solar panels, weighing as much as a ton, and it produces enough energy to power 15,000 homes.
The Performance So Far
While Duke Energy has not released specific information about the solar farm’s output, the company has touted the project’s ability to generate power and stated that it is now the state’s largest renewable power source. In addition, the company claims that the solar farm has reduced its carbon footprint by 95% since it started operating in December 2018.
The utility giant has also touted the significance of the solar farm in its push to leave behind its fossil fuel past. In a press release, the company said, “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our energy landscape and leave the past behind. By powering our operations with clean solar, we can ensure we’ve got electricity when the sun shines and avoid the risks of fossil fuel price volatility. We’re proud to lead the way in renewable energy and help our customers navigate this exciting new world of clean energy.”
Duke Energy first deployed the massive solar array at the Clayton site to provide power to its customers during evenings and overnight hours, when the sun is shining and the air is still. However, the utility giant has since started harnessing solar energy for peak hours, which it claims has reduced its reliance on coal-generated power and improved reliability and reduced pollution for its customers. In total, the solar farm has provided power to around 80,000 homes and businesses in North Carolina since it opened.
What To Expect
Duke Energy has not released any information about what to expect at the site once the solar farm is fully operational, but it has announced some key projects that can be expected to start up as a result of the mega-installation. The company has said that it will invest $20 million in a new microgrid located at the site, which will connect to the power grid and allow for more renewable power to be deployed.
In addition, the project will create hundreds of jobs and offer training for those who are interested in a green energy career.
What Is A Microgrid?
Delery explained that a microgrid is a “smaller, localized generation and distribution network that utilizes large-scale solar power,” and that it is designed to provide energy security and reliability for those connected to it. In other words, a microgrid can provide power even when the sun isn’t shining or the air is still.
Microgrids can be privately owned and operated by commercial enterprise or can be publicly owned and operated by a municipality. In any case, microgrids are different from traditional power grids in that they are typically standalone systems that can operate solely on renewable energy sources (i.e. solar, wind, or water).
Microgrids can be coupled with a large-scale solar power plant (most commonly solar PV, but also including solar thermal power plants) through a power purchase agreement (PPA). In this type of arrangement, the utility company typically provides the financial support and engineering resources to get the solar farm up and running and then monitors and maintains it over time. For this reason, PPAs with solar farms are often called “off-taker models” or “power-purchasing agreements.”
The North Carolina Solar Farm Is One Example
Duke Energy’s new solar farm in North Carolina is the result of a 20-year PPA it signed with SunEdison, Inc. As part of the agreement, Duke Energy will purchase all of SunEdison’s electricity at a guaranteed price for 20 years.
The 800-acre site is made up of over 70,000 photovoltaic solar panels, weighing approximately a ton, and it produces more than enough energy to power 15,000 homes.
We spoke with Duke Energy senior manager of corporate communications Jennifer Delery about how the farm is performing and what owners and residents of the area can expect.
Why A Solar Farm?
Duke Energy’s new solar farm in North Carolina is just one of the company’s many green energy projects underway across the country. These projects make up a large part of the company’s strategy to leave its energy-reliant past behind and become more reliant on renewable energy for future operations.
The construction and deployment of a solar farm involves a lot of planning and forethought, and it’s crucial to take the time to do the math so you don’t end up investing in something that won’t produce enough electricity for your needs. As mentioned, the company has not released any information about the solar farm’s output, but it has touted the site’s ability to generate power and state that it is now the state’s largest renewable power source.
In 2016, Duke Energy signed a 20-year PPA with SunEdison, Inc., which provides the company with the capacity to generate up to 200 megawatts of clean, renewable electricity. The power generated will be sold to the utility company at prices that are fixed for the life of the contract.
Around the same time Duke Energy started construction on this project, the utility giant also began a major renewables procurement program, locking in prices for large volumes of solar electric capacity for the next few decades. This program reduces the risk of fluctuating fossil fuel prices and allows the company to plan its energy portfolio for the future.
The Benefits Of A Solar Farm
The construction and deployment of a solar farm is a big investment. However, those who invest in solar energy are gaining a lot more than just electricity. They are also gaining reliability and savings from not having to buy fuel for their energy needs.
A solar farm’s output is completely dependable, as there is no fuel to be stored and burned, and it produces electricity when the sun shines, even on cloudy days. In addition, the people who live and work in the surrounding area benefit from the solar farm, as it creates additional demand for goods and services, leading to more job opportunities and a brighter economy.
In short, those who invest in solar energy are setting themselves up for a brighter future and the ability to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
What Is The Difference Between Solar And Wind Power?
People who are considering investing in a solar farm may be wondering if they should go with solar or wind power. When it comes to renewable energy, these are the two main options available, and they both have their advantages.
Solar power is the sun’s energy that directly strikes the surface of the earth, while wind power is the kinetic energy of moving air. You can almost always find some source of solar energy, regardless of the time of day or location, while wind power is often available only at certain times of the day or year and in certain locations.
Going forward, I believe that both solar and wind power will play a significant role in our world’s energy needs, and it’s important to look at each of them as a complement to one another, rather than as a replacement for fossil fuels. Solar and wind power work well together to provide a more reliable, sustainable alternative to traditional energy sources.