An Arizona-headquartered firm is investing hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in Indiana with development of a sequence of solar energy initiatives within the Hoosier state.
Arevon Vitality, a Scottsdale-based renewable vitality developer, proprietor, and operator, on August 21 celebrated the groundbreaking for the 192-MW Ratts 1 Photo voltaic Challenge close to Petersburg in Pike County. Arevon additionally just lately started development of the close by 73-MW Heirloom Photo voltaic Challenge in Pike County. The corporate on August 26 mentioned it additionally will announce development of one other utility-scale solar energy undertaking within the state within the close to future.
Arevon officers mentioned the 2 Pike County initiatives signify an funding of about $400 million, together with creating about 200 development jobs. Native authorities leaders, together with landowners, companions, and stakeholders attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ratts set up.
‘Important Addition’ to Midwest Portfolio
“Ratts 1 Photo voltaic is a big addition to Arevon’s rising portfolio of Midwest initiatives and an vital step ahead for a cleaner future for Indiana,” mentioned Tommy Greer, chief industrial officer at Arevon. “We’re proud to host this groundbreaking and to rejoice the development of photo voltaic vitality in Pike County.”
Arevon has practically 3.8 GW of solar energy and vitality storage amenities both working or beneath development. The corporate has practically 5 GW of photo voltaic and storage initiatives beneath growth throughout the U.S.
Kyle Brouillette, senior vp, Market Operations and Planning at Indiana Municipal Energy Company (IMPA), a not-for-profit electrical energy group headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, close to Indianapolis, on the groundbreaking ceremony mentioned, “This undertaking is a vital a part of our total energy provide portfolio. It’s an Indiana useful resource and can assist IMPA in reaching our mission of bringing a low value, dependable, and environmentally accountable energy provide to our 61 member communities.”
Ashley Willis, government director on the Pike County Financial Growth Corp., mentioned, “We’re excited concerning the financial prosperity that Ratts 1 Photo voltaic will deliver to our neighborhood. We’ve got already seen the numerous influence that this undertaking has contributed by means of new jobs and elevated native spending, and we look ahead to seeing the way it transforms Pike County over the following a number of many years.”
Renewable Vitality in Former Coal Nation
Pike County is a largely rural and agricultural space in southwest Indiana, close to Evansville and west of Louisville, Kentucky.
“The conversion of a few of our fields from rising conventional crops to additionally housing photo voltaic panels is an thrilling alternative for our neighborhood,” mentioned Dr. Suzanne Blake, a taking part landowner within the Ratts 1 undertaking.
Arevon along with the Ratts 1 and Heirloom initiatives additionally just lately introduced a $352 million financing package deal and begin of development for the 228-MW Posey Photo voltaic Challenge in Posey County, Indiana. The undertaking could possibly be operational within the first quarter of subsequent yr.
Most of southern Indiana has relied on coal-fired energy for many years, and coal mining has lengthy been an financial driver within the area. Extra renewable vitality initiatives are taking form within the space, although; AES Indiana, a subsidiary of AES Corp., just lately introduced it could make investments $1.1 billion within the state and retire the utility’s final coal-fired models at its Petersburg facility in Pike County. AES mentioned its funding would come with new solar energy and battery vitality storage initiatives.
—Darrell Proctor is senior editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).
