Solar 10 large solar projects in development for 2024 David Cox, PE - President FirmoGraphs 11.7.2023 Share (Aerial shot of photovoltaics solar farm. Solar farm power station from above. Ecological renewable energy.) According to the latest U.S. Solar Market Insight report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, the U.S. solar market installed 6.1 GWdc of capacity in the first quarter of 2023, a 47% increase from the same period in 2022. Solar accounted for 54% of all new electricity-generating capacity added to the U.S. grid in the first quarter of 2023. Figure: New U.S. electricity-generating capacity additions, 2010 – Q1 2023. Source: SEIA The report also projects that between 2023 and 2028, the industry is expected to nearly triple in size, adding an estimated 236 GWdc to the existing base of 142 GWdc, calculated as of the end of 2022. Solar will be the leading technology of the clean energy transition, with a cumulative total of 375 GWdc by the end of 2028. As readers may know, the solar industry benefits from federal funding opportunities. Notably, the Solar for All grant competition allocates $7 billion from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), to bring solar energy to low-income and disadvantaged communities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) includes almost $58 billion for clean energy and power initiatives, encompassing solar energy projects and power grid enhancements. FirmoGraphs monitors renewable project lifecycle, from when utility regulators record them until construction commencement and commercial operation. Proactive engagement in this market entails leveraging insights from industry news and filings from utility regulators across all states, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and other publicly available sources. This approach enables us to offer strategic business insights to various market stakeholders, such as U.S. infrastructure contractors, architects, engineers, and consultants, helping them gain a competitive edge. This blog covers 10 large solar projects in development for 2024. Figure: Location of 10 Large Solar Projects for 2024. Source: FirmoGraphs Subscribe today to the all-new Factor This! podcast from Renewable Energy World. This podcast is designed specifically for the solar industry and is available wherever you get your podcasts. 10 large solar projects in the U.S. FirmoGraphs analyzed thousands of project applications from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) agencies, environmental permitting agencies, and the FERC across the U.S. and selected ten projects in geographically diverse areas valued at $250 million or more that are anticipated to commence construction in 2024. Name ProjectOwner ProjectCapacity (MW)Value (Millions)RegionProject StartCD Solar ProjectEDF Renewables Development, Inc2,000$3,250Nevada2024Oak Run Solar ProjectOak Run Solar Project, LLC800$1,000Ohio2024Pelicans Jaw Hybrid SolarPelicans Jaw Solar, LLC500$810California2024Dogwood Creek SolarSolar Proponent506$780Texas2024Eagle Eye Solar ProjectEagle, LLC400$650Arizona2024Koshkonong Solar Energy CenterKoshkonong Solar Energy Center LLC300$649Wisconsin2024Nolin Hills Power Project – Solar ProjectNolin Hills Wind, LLC600$420Oregon2024Rocky Run SolarDominion Energy, Inc300$340Virginia2024Sunfish Solar 2 ProjectConsumers Energy Company309$320Michigan2024Goldfinch SolarNational Grid Renewables250$280Kentucky2024 Project Summaries CD Solar Project EDF Renewables Development, Inc. submitted filings on July 9, 2021, to the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada for the proposed CD Solar Project located on approximately 18,000 acres of BLM-managed land in Esmeralda and Nye Counties, Nevada. The project is a 2,000 MW solar and 1,000 MW battery storage facility. The project includes a 230-kV or 525-kV transmission line and other ancillary facilities. Construction is anticipated to commence in the first quarter of 2024 and will take 24 months to complete. Using the 2021 Annual Technology Baseline (ATB) data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), co-located energy storage is estimated to cost $1,136/kW. Based on this value, FirmoGraphs estimates that the CD Solar project will cost approximately $3.3 billion. Oak Run Solar Project Oak Run Solar Project, LLC plans to construct the proposed Oak Run Solar Project in Ohio. The project is a large-scale solar energy initiative developed on 10,000 acres of land north of the city of London near Plumwood in Madison County. The project is expected to have a maximum generating capacity of up to 800 MW of clean electricity. It will also include a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) of up to 300 MW. The construction will start on January 1, 2024, with an estimated cost of $1 billion. Pelicans Jaw Hybrid Solar Pelicans Jaw Solar, LLC proposes constructing and operating the Pelicans Jaw Hybrid Solar Project on 3,943 acres in Kern County, California. The project is a solar facility with a 500 MW capacity and a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capable of storing approximately 2,000 MWh of energy. It will also include a 230-kV generation-tie transmission line extending the project’s on-site substation to Pacific Gas and Electric’s proposed on-site switching station. Lastly, it will include a substation that will be the termination point of the collection system of 34.5 kV alternating current electricity. The construction will start in January 2024 and be completed in December 2024. According to the 2021 Annual Technology Baseline (ATB) data from NRE), solar projects will cost $1,623/kW. FirmoGraphs estimates the project will cost $810 million based on this value. Dogwood Creek Solar Solar Proponent, a renewable energy company based in Austin, Texas, plans to construct the Dogwood Creek Solar Project. The project is a 506 MWdc and 389 MWac storage capacity in Bastrop County. The project site covers about 10,000 acres of land, mainly pasture and cropland. The project is expected to start construction in 2024 and enter commercial operation in the first quarter of 2025. According to the 2022 Annual Technology Baseline (ATB), solar with co-located energy projects will cost $1,540/kW. Based on this value, FirmoGraphs estimates the project will cost $780 million. Eagle Eye Solar Project Eagle, LLC, a BNC DEVCO, LLC subsidiary, proposes to construct, own, operate, and decommission the Eagle Eye Solar Project in La Paz County, Arizona. The project comprises a nominal 400 MWac power generating facility and a 400 MW battery facility. In addition, the project is also evaluating the potential for a Hydrogen Energy Storage System (HESS). The construction will commence in December 2024 and is expected to be completed in June 2026. According to NREL, solar projects with co-located energy storage systems will cost $1,208/kW. Based on this value, FirmoGraphs estimates the project will cost $650 million. Koshkonong Solar Energy Center Koshkonong Solar Energy Center, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Invenergy, plans to construct the Koshkonong Solar Energy Center project on 6,384 acres of land in the towns of Christiana and Deerfield, Dane County, Wisconsin. The project includes a 300 MW solar electric generation facility and a 165 MW battery facility. The project’s major components include PV panels, power conversion units, approximately 75 miles of 34.5-kilovolt underground collector circuits, a collector substation, and a new approximately 0.84-mile 345 kV generator tie line. Construction will start in the fall of 2024 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The project is valued at an estimated $649 million. Nolin Hills Power Project – Solar Project Nolin Hills Wind, LLC, a subsidiary of Capital Power Corporation, proposes to construct the Nolin Hills Wind Power Project on approximately 48,000 acres in Umatilla County, Oregon. The project is around 600 MW, with 340 MW from wind and 260 MW from solar. It will also include two 230-kV transmission lines, two substations, and a battery facility. The construction is expected to begin in 2024. According to NREL, wind projects will cost $1,256 per/kW, while solar projects will cost $1,623 per kW. Based on this value, FirmoGraphs estimates that the wind facility will cost $410 million and $420 million for the solar facility. Rocky Run Solar Dominion Energy, Inc. will develop the proposed Rocky Run Solar project on the southeastern side of Brunswick County, near Harris Crossroads, along its border with Greensville County, Virginia. The project site covers about 10,000 acres of land and will generate up to 300 MW of electricity to power 75,000 homes at peak output. The project is expected to start construction by 2024 and be in service by the end of 2025. FirmoGraphs estimates the project will cost $300 million. Sunfish Solar 2 Project Consumers Energy Company submitted filings on April 27, 2023, to the Michigan Public Service Commission for the Sunfish Solar 2 Project. The project is a solar facility with 309 MW capacity on approximately 2,900 acres in Calhoun County, Michigan. The construction will commence in March 2024 and is expected to begin commercial operations on or before December 31, 2025. FirmoGraphs estimates the project will cost $320 million. Goldfinch Solar National Grid Renewables will construct the proposed Goldfinch Solar Project on 2,000 acres in Mason County, Kentucky. The project is a solar facility with a 250 MW capacity connecting to the North Clark County-Hugh L Spurlock 345 kV line. Construction will commence in 2024 and is expected to be completed in 2025, costing $280 million. Related Posts Solar companies raised $34B in 2023, most in a decade National Grid petition seeks retroactive cost increases from multiple solar projects The Pentagon will install rooftop solar panels as Biden pushes clean energy in federal buildings Texas grid survives, thwarting NIMBYs, and companies turn to ‘greenhushing’ — This Week in Cleantech
