Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) said June 8 that its 40-MW Elm City Solar Facility is the latest addition to the company’s renewable portfolio.
Duke Energy, Wilson County and Elm City officials will kick off the completed project at an event on June 9. The plant began operations in March and is currently supplying energy to customers. The facility is the newest solar site that Duke Energy owns and operates in North Carolina. Overall, Duke Energy has 35 solar facilities across the state.
“Duke Energy has embraced solar energy in North Carolina as a means of providing even more renewable resources to our customers,” said David Fountain, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “We continue to push for projects that promote new and renewable technologies, while keeping rates below the national average.”
The Elm City Solar Facility is located at 4579-4699 Haynes Road in Wilson County. Its expected annual output is 82,000 megawatt-hours.
In the past year, Duke Energy’s retail electric companies have completed solar projects in Bladen, Duplin and Onslow counties, North Carolina. Construction will begin soon on projects in Davie and Monroe counties. The 60-MW Monroe Solar Facility on 2272 S. Rocky River Road near Monroe in Union County will be located on a 400-acre site. The 15.4-MW Mocksville Solar Facility in Davie County will be located at 197 Crawford Road in Mocksville.
The company’s commercial business unit, Duke Energy Renewables (DER), recently purchased six solar facilities in Bertie, Edgecombe and Northampton counties. DER acquired six 5-MW solar projects in Eastern North Carolina from Community Energy. DER has solar and wind facilities in 13 states.
In 2015, Duke Energy added 300 MW of solar energy in North Carolina. In total, Duke Energy companies have installed about 450 MW of solar energy in the state.
Duke Energy has invested more than $4 billion in renewable energy since 2007 and plans to invest about $3 billion over the next five years.
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a S&P 100 Stock Index company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK.
