Ground breaking on a new Ohio solar energy field next month
Next month, construction will begin on a new solar energy field in Ohio – about 60 miles southeast of Toledo. While solar farms are springing up all over the U.S. (and the world, in fact), the new Ohio solar energy field will be one of the largest in America.
Here’s the what/when/why about the utility scale solar development:
- Projected to be operational in about 13 months
- Initial cost $30 million
- 83 acre site
- Solar energy generated by the new Ohio solar energy field will provide electricity to American Electric Power
- About 6,000 homes will be served
- Ohio utilities are required by law to purchase or generate 12.5% of the state’s energy from renewable sources like wind and solar
- AEP will be purchasing power from the plant, which will be built and operated by a subsidiary of Juwi Solar Inc., a Germany-based company
No place like Ohio to move forward on a new solar energy field. In fact, the University of Toledo is a leader in solar power:
A sunny future for solar fields
Getting back to the new Ohio solar energy field, AEP signed a 20-year agreement to purchase power from the utility scale solar facility. While electricity rates will not decrease for its customers, the company will be in compliance with the Ohio renewable energy law. And, for those that are concerned about depletion of fossil fuels and/or global climate change, this is definitely a step in the right direction.
Observed an AEP spokesperson, Melissa McHenry:
“Solar is really just starting to develop in a way that’s more cost-effective, so it’s important that we support projects like this.”
Expect to see more utilities re-tooling and investing in solar and other renewable energy resources in the months and years ahead. Ohio may be a leader with respect to its big new solar energy field today, but we’ll be hearing much more about other new utility scale solar projects in the future!
Tags: american electric power, ohio solar, solar energy field, solar farm, university of toledo
September 15th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
12.5 percent is a very good number but hopefully that number can increase in the future and set and example for other states.