Platte River Energy Authority and turnkey options companion Qcells USA Corp. broke floor July 10 on northern Colorado’s largest photo voltaic era undertaking.
“Black Hole Photo voltaic represents a serious milestone in our journey of working towards our noncarbon power targets as outlined within the board-approved Useful resource Diversification Coverage,” says Jason Frisbie, Platte River normal supervisor/CEO. “We’re proud that Black Hole Photo voltaic, when accomplished, will convey the full quantity of photo voltaic capability in our portfolio to 309 MW, assist change the coal-fired era we can be shutting down earlier than the top of the last decade and is by far the most important photo voltaic era undertaking in northern Colorado.”
The primary part of the undertaking is predicted to be full in Could 2025 and can ship roughly 367,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of power yearly to Platte River’s proprietor communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland. Section two of Black Hole Photo voltaic will add one other 107 MW of capability in 2026, totaling 257 MW for this undertaking. This is sufficient to energy over 63,000 properties and can improve Platte River’s complete photo voltaic capability to 309 MW.
“Colorado is a nationwide chief in low-cost, renewable power, and we stay centered on defending our air high quality and setting whereas saving folks cash,” says Gov. Jared Polis. “This undertaking will assist us do this by increasing photo voltaic capability in our state and serving to Colorado attain our objective of 100% renewable power by 2040 whereas strengthening northern Colorado communities like Severance.”
Per the settlement with Platte River, Qcells will present turnkey options together with undertaking improvement, engineering, procurement and constructions providers and can provide over 540,000 Qcells modules on the Black Hole Photo voltaic undertaking. The electrical energy generated can be bought to Platte River starting in Could 2025 beneath a long-term energy buy settlement.
Vitality can be delivered to Platte River’s proprietor communities in Colorado’s north Entrance Vary by a substation at the moment beneath development, adjoining to Platte River’s current transmission system.
The positioning is situated northeast of Black Hole Reservoir, close to the city of Severance, and the infrastructure will make the most of practically 1,400 acres. To determine this web site, Platte River and Qcells engaged with native authorities and stakeholders together with neighbors, state companies, city councils and county leaders. The placement was chosen after cautious evaluate of bodily and environmental impacts, land-use constraints and stakeholder suggestions.
The addition of Black Hole Photo voltaic together with current renewable assets will improve Platte River’s complete noncarbon power era to 58% yearly, serving virtually 75% of the utility’s 4 proprietor communities’ power wants. Platte River is evaluating its subsequent spherical of renewable power initiatives together with wind and battery storage to proceed the pursuit of the utility’s and its proprietor communities’ noncarbon power targets.
