Nov 20 2010
EnergyUnited, the Statesville-based electric cooperative, has opened its solar power production facility recently. The power produced from the 4,224 solar panels in the solar farm will be enough to provide electricity to nearly 150 to 200 houses. The solar farm commenced its power generation during October this year.
EnergyUnited, a power cooperative company from Statesville, has started the solar farm installations with an investment of $6 million by partnering with SunEdison. Duke Energy Generation Services has come in place of SunEdison and took over the project. As per the signed accord with Duke Energy, EnergyUnited will continue to possess the ownership of the land, off Boston Road where the solar farm is currently located, and buy the power produced from the facility from Duke Energy. The company has signed a 20 year power purchase accord with Duke Energy. The solar farm incorporates a global positioning technology, which allows the solar panels to track the movements of the sun and to receive solar power during all the times of the year. EnergyUnited is currently buying the electricity generated from the methane power generation plant, owned by DTE Biomass Energy.
Wayne Wilkins, EnergyUnited’s CEO, said that the power generated from the farm will be utilized by the community people and unveiled the plans of the company to triple the distribution of solar energy power. He added that his company is also looking for ways to distribute power generated from other types of renewable energy sources.