Recurrent Energy completes Mississippi’s largest solar installation under a Build Transfer Agreement

Might 27, 2022 Anne Fischer

Canadian Photo voltaic Inc. introduced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Recurrent Power, LLC, efficiently accomplished the development of the 100 MW Sunflower Photo voltaic Station. The solar energy plant, situated in Sunflower  County within the Mississippi Delta, will present sufficient clear vitality to energy 16,000 properties in Entergy Mississippi’s territory.

The Sunflower venture is among the first utility scale photo voltaic initiatives to be constructed beneath a Construct Switch Settlement (BTA) in america and it’s the first BTA signed by Recurrent Power. The BTA was signed with Entergy Mississippi in 2018 designating that the utility would take possession of the venture as soon as it started business operation.

“It’s a historic day for Entergy Mississippi, our clients and our state,” mentioned Haley Fisackerly, Entergy Mississippi president and CEO. “Powering communities is the guts of our enterprise, and this energy station does that in a number of methods—by offering clear, inexperienced energy to clients and a hedge towards rising pure fuel costs and giving industries with renewable vitality objectives an incentive to find or increase operations in our state.”

The Sunflower venture raises the bar for photo voltaic within the state of Mississippi. As of the 4^th quarter of 2021, Mississippi was ranked 36^th within the nation for put in photo voltaic at slightly below 320 MW. On the time photo voltaic was contributing solely .67% of the state’s electrical energy.

Within the fall of 2021, Entergy introduced its intent to increase renewable vitality in its territory when it launched EDGE, for “Financial Growth with Inexperienced Power,” a program that goals to switch ageing pure fuel amenities with 1,000 MW of renewable vitality, together with photo voltaic, over the following 5 years. This stage of added capability would improve the corporate’s whole energy technology portfolio from lower than 1% to 17% in three years, and almost 33% by 2027. Entergy expects to have 11,000 MW of renewable vitality technology by the tip of 2030.

“We’re proud to have accomplished the biggest photo voltaic venture in Mississippi on behalf of Entergy in a method that has supported Mississippi companies and paved the best way for extra renewable vitality within the state,” mentioned Dr. Shawn Qu, chairman and chief govt officer of Canadian Photo voltaic. “Sunflower is our first build-own-transfer venture and our first venture in Mississippi. We look ahead to supporting the expansion of photo voltaic all through the southeast United States and repeating this mannequin which gives extra worth for our clients.”

The single-axis tracker-based Sunflower venture makes use of 272,000 PV modules and was constructed on a 1,000-acre web site. Attala Metal Industries, primarily based in Kosciusko, Mississippi equipped 2,475 tons of metal for foundations. Moreover, A-1 Kendrick Fence Firm, primarily based in Jackson, Mississippi put in the perimeter fence. Sign Power LLC served because the EPC supplier.

In different current photo voltaic information within the state, the Mississippi Public Service Fee launched up to date Internet Metering and Interconnection Guidelines with insurance policies that look to extend photo voltaic adoption throughout the board, whereas additionally bettering entry to photo voltaic for low- and middle-income residents. And in February of this 12 months, Mississippi Energy introduced a request for proposal (RFP) for a complete of 200 MW of photo voltaic initiatives, that are required to have an export functionality of the purpose of interconnection of not less than 20 MWac and should embody 25-year energy-only energy buy agreements. The ultimate bid listing is deliberate to be accepted in August.