Feb 5 2010
SunEdison, North America’s largest solar energy services provider and a subsidiary of MEMC Electronic Materials (NYSE: WFR), has activated the first phase of its 16-megawatt solar farm in Davidson County, N.C.
SunEdison 4MW Solar Farm- Davidson County, N.C.
The first phase of the project represents 4 megawatts of generation capacity and is comprised of more than 14,000 solar panels that will generate over 6 million kilowatt hours of electricity in the first year of operation. Duke Energy is buying the farm’s entire output under a 20-year contract.
Over those 20 years, the farm will generate 115 million kilowatt hours of electricity – enough to power 10,000 average homes for one year. It also will offset more than 225 million pounds of carbon dioxide that otherwise would have been emitted from a traditional coal-burning power plant.
“This first phase represents a major milestone in our overall plan to develop 16 megawatts of solar energy at this site,” said SunEdison President Carlos Domenech. “Having financed and completed this initial installation, we have mobilized resources for the next phase of the solar farm.”
The farm is one of several North American utility-scale power plants that SunEdison has financed and developed, and now operates.