This week on Projects Weekly, Black & Veatch has finished construction on Mitsui & Co.’s first utility-scale project in the U.S. In New York, the SUNY system is getting a solar and storage supercharge from the New York Power Authority. Further east, Inlyte Energy and CutPeak Energy have announced a new long-duration storage project at a Massachusetts ski resort, and further down the eastern seaboard, North Carolina’s Pisgah Energy has finished up a new solar installation for the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. The city of Cleveland and Enerlogics have drawn up a duo of solar projects that breathe new life into city-owned landfills, and ComEd and SunVest have energized a community solar site at an Illinois airport. To the southwest, Ørsted has begun construction on its first site in New Mexico. Finally, in the M&A world, Exus Renewables North America has acquired a quartet of projects from ibV Energy Partners, and Renewable Properties has purchased a Pennsylvanian portfolio from Prospect14. Keep reading for all the details!

SUNY, NYPA to accelerate campus solar and storage projects

State University of New York (SUNY) chancellor John B. King Jr. has announced a partnership between the university system and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to accelerate solar and storage across SUNY campuses.

The new initiative will allow SUNY and NYPA to leverage the school system’s statewide scale to “identify the strongest opportunities for clean energy projects” and provide campuses with technical support. The SUNY system currently represents about 40% of all state-owned buildings in New York, taking up nearly 54,000 acres of land in the Empire State.

The campus system says this partnership creates a significant opportunity to help meet SUNY’s renewable energy goals, and demonstrate how large-scale institutions can still deploy renewable energy efficiently.

“SUNY is proud to lead the way in helping build a more resilient and sustainable New York State and showcase how investments in clean energy can yield long-term savings,” says King. “We are pleased to partner with the New York Power Authority on this new effort, and we thank Governor Hochul for her continuous support of SUNY’s clean energy initiatives.”

Bright spot: The new renewable energy initiative builds on three decades of collaboration between the two parties. The existing partnership has already created and delivered 132 energy projects, generating more than $31.6 million in annual utility savings.

“This new program will help provide a clearer understanding of where solar and storage projects can be deployed to best strengthen the energy independence of SUNY campuses,” says NYPA president and CEO Justin E. Driscoll. “By leveraging the Power Authority’s expertise, SUNY will streamline renewable development, establishing a direct path for campuses to move clean energy projects from concept to reality.”

Enerlogics building solar installations on two Cleveland landfills

The city of Cleveland has launched two community solar projects, aiming to provide locally generated renewable energy and bill savings for Northeast Ohio.

Ordered by the City of Cleveland Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Department of Public Utilities, and Department of Port Control, the two projects will be on city-owned landfills around the city. Youngstown, Ohio-based Enerlogics will lead the design and build team for the projects, which will generate energy for both for Cleveland Public Power customers and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport’s operations.

“Keeping costs affordable for Cleveland residents is a priority,” says Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “This project allows us to put underused land back to work by generating energy locally, lowering energy costs, and ensuring our clean energy investments deliver real value to the people who live here.”

Bright spot: Worth about $20 million in investment, the projects will provide a combined 7-9 MW across the two solar arrays. Development of the sites comes as part of a broader regional renewable energy initiative, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program.

The city of Cleveland estimates this broader initiative will support development of about 53 MW of solar power around the area, as well as natural restoration projects and a 20 MW battery installation in the suburb of Painesville. The battery will come as response to the permanent closure of a coal-powered energy facility in the Painesville area.

“These projects bring tangible financial cost savings in a volatile energy market while reducing climate emissions in the longer term,” says Sarah O’Keeffe, director of the Cleveland Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. “Expanding locally generated clean energy is both a climate action and a step to future proof our community.”

Mitsui, Black & Veatch complete utility-scale project near Dallas

Construction engineering firm Black & Veatch has completed the 150 MWdc Three W Solar project for Mitsui & Co., officials announced Sept. 29.

Set to power as many as 45,000 homes in Texas, the project has received energization approval from ERCOT to connect to the state’s power grid. Black & Veatch representatives say receiving interconnection permission enables the company to turn operations and maintenance over to Mitsui.

“Energy diversification is becoming increasingly important as organizations position themselves for future growth and evolving power needs,” says Narsingh Chaudhary, president of fuels and natural resources for Black & Veatch. “We are proud to support Mitsui’s energy strategy through the successful delivery of Three W Solar, a project that strengthens its energy portfolio and contributes to Texas’ growing generation capacity.”

Bright spot: The new project sits on top of about 875 acres near Hillsboro, Texas, about 60 miles outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The site marks a “significant milestone” for Mitsui as its first U.S.-based utility scale project, and serves as a potential turning point for its wider renewable energy strategy.

“Achieving this milestone means a more resilient power grid for communities in Texas and we are proud to be part of the next stage of renewable energy in the region,” says Shinya Umehara, SVP and divisional operating officer of Mitsui & Co. USA Inc. “This represents a commitment to the communities in Texas looking at the future energy demands and the innovative response to the needs these demands present.”

ibV, Exus Renewables strike deal for 715 MW solar portfolio

Exus Renewables North America has inked a deal with ibV Energy Partners to acquire four solar projects from ibV, totaling 715 MW at peak power.

Financial details of this deal have not been disclosed.

The projects are located across Wisconsin at 310 MW with the Maple Grove Solar 1 & 2 projects, and Louisiana at 405 MW between the Bayou Teche Sites and Bayou Chicot Solar sites. The transaction aims to build on ibV’s years of development work while also expanding the wider Exus renewable energy portfolio.

“ibV develops projects after careful site selection, with long-term project performance and relationships in mind,” says ibV Energy Partners CEO Chris McKissack. “We are proud to sell these projects to a renewable project development leader like Exus Renewables North America, known for their responsible and effective ownership in the communities where they operate.”

Bright spot: Following the acquisition, Exus will continue to advance project development four each of the four sites through their next stages of development. Jim Spencer, president and CEO of Exus, says the two firms share belief that successful projects are built through meaningful engagement with the community.

“The acquisition of these projects represents an important step in the continued growth of our development portfolio and reinforces our strategy of building a geographically and technologically diverse portfolio across the United States,” he says. “These projects are particularly attractive because of their potential to interconnect quickly in markets where demand growth is outpacing available generation.”

Renewable Properties acquires 71.8 MWdc solar portfolio from Prospect14

Distributed energy infrastructure developer Renewable Properties has acquired a portfolio of three projects in the PJM region from Pennsylvania-based developer Prospect14.

Renewable Properties has gained renown for development, ownership, and operation of both community solar and small-scale utility projects, officials say. This purchase will be its first foray into the PJM wholesale market, and includes a 26 MWdc and a 27 MWdc project in central Pennsylvania, as well as an 18.8 MWdc site in the western part of the Keystone State.

“With this acquisition, Renewable Properties is pleased to expand on our successful partnership with Prospect14,” says Aaron Halimi, founder and CEO of Renewable Properties. “Together, we have built a strong foundation that will enable us to continue bringing renewable energy and its many benefits to Pennsylvania, with both distributed solar and PJM solar projects.”

Bright spot: With the new acquisition, Renewable Properties will expand its pipeline of Pennsylvanian projects to more than 150 MWdc, according to representatives. Increased power demand across the state, partially thanks to heavy data center buildout in the area, has driven numerous solar developers to Pennsylvania and the PJM regional market.

“The acquisition of this portfolio reinforces our growing partnership with Renewable Properties,” says Brendan Neagle, president of Prospect14. “We are proud to partner with an experienced, values-aligned solar developer that has the skills and experience to drive solar project deployment in our home state, which is increasingly embracing solar.”

These larger scale projects will serve as complement to the existing Renewable Properties portfolio, officials say, which includes community solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. Following this acquisition’s closure, the company has more than 2 GW under development, and an additional 335 MW under construction or in operation, across 19 states.

Ørsted breaks ground on on Blackwater Solar in New Mexico

Danish renewable energy developer Ørsted has begun construction Blackwater Solar, a new 200 MW project in New Mexico’s Roosevelt County.

This project marks the company’s first jump into the Land of Enchantment, officials say, with the firm donating $100,000 to the Playa Lakes Joint Venture upon groundbreaking. The investment will allow the joint venture to support the restoration and continued conservation of wetlands near the site, located in New Mexico’s eastern reaches.

“Blackwater Solar marks an exciting first chapter for Ørsted in New Mexico,” says Melissa Peterson, president of Americas onshore at Ørsted. “Blackwater Solar will generate affordable, homegrown energy while creating long-term benefits for the local area. We are honored to make our first investment in the state and look forward to being a dedicated partner to the Roosevelt County community for years to come.”

Bright spot: The new installation will be able to power the equivalent of about 56,000 homes every year, within the Southwest Power Pool’s territory. Backed by a long-term power purchase agreement to help meet growing industrial electricity needs, the project is targeting commercial operation for late 2027.

Ørsted’s investment in local wetlands will help conserve an 8.8-acre playa in the state. The effort builds on the Danish firm’s efforts in western Texas, where it helped restore more than 700 acres of playa habitat across five Lone Star State counties.

“Playa Lakes Joint Venture (PLJV) is committed to working with a diverse group of partners to conserve natural resources for the benefit of both people and wildlife,” says PLJV coordinator Rich Schultheis. “We appreciate not only Ørsted’s financial commitment to restoring these critical wetlands, but also the shared understanding of the importance of maintaining biodiversity. It is rewarding to see Ørsted supporting bird habitat restoration and increasing the biological function of playas.”

Chicagoan solar developer SunVest and electrical utility Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) have energized their joint community solar project at DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport in DeKalb County, Illinois.

Bright spot: Constructed adjacent to the building’s airfield, the project’s unique siting will both financially support the community and save subscribers around the area money on utility bills. Officials say 60% of the 8 MW project’s subscription capacity is dedicated to low-to-moderate income customers, providing much-needed financial relief for north-central Illinoisans.

“This project provides meaningful benefits to Northern Illinois communities,” says Bram Walters, CEO of SunVest Solar. “Not only does this project save lower-income residents on their power bills, the rent paid to the municipal airport and property taxes paid to local jurisdictions provide new revenue for the community.”

The siting of the project will help fulfill the Illinois Power Agency’s of constructing more community solar facilities on municipally-owned land. The cost benefits of the project also extend beyond community solar subscribers, officials note, as the company expects it to generate $91,000 in site rent and $36,000 in property taxes for the county every year.

“At a time when energy prices are rising nationwide, community solar projects like this one by SunVest are a quick way to bring down costs by bringing more power on to the grid,” says ComEd president and CEO Gil Quiniones. “Not all households and businesses have suitable structures for solar installation, and community supply solves for that problem, while also helping to reduce customer bills and expand access to clean power.”

Inlyte Energy, CutPeak Energy announce BESS project at Massachusetts ski resort

Battery manufacturer Inlyte Energy and renewable energy technology firm CutPeak Energy have announced a new long-duration energy storage (LDES) project at Berkshire East Mountain Resort in Charlemont, Massachusetts.

The project’s construction will receive funding from the Bay State’s recently-announced storage grant program, officials say. Capable of delivering up to 80 MWh of stored energy, the battery system has a targeted online date of 2028, and will serve as renewable energy integration and extended backup for one of Massachusetts’s rural-area community hubs.

“The Berkshire East project shows what becomes possible when Inlyte’s iron-sodium battery does more than one job,” said Inlyte CCO Ben Kaun. “Its efficient, long-duration capability enables clean power during demanding snowmaking peaks, makes better use of renewable electricity, and keeps a critical community resource operating when the grid goes down.”

Bright spot: The engineering team has designed the new project around the “unusual energy profile” of a ski resort. These facilities often has brief periods of extremely high electrical demand for artificial snowmaking, directly followed by prolonged periods of much lower demand.

Specifically for Berkshire East, snowmaking efforts can push demand as high as 4 MW, but only during short bursts in a fraction of the year. This makes the site a perfect candidate for LDES, officials say.

“Snowmaking is what keeps this mountain running in the winter, but it is also what drives our biggest electricity costs,” says Berkshire East general manager Andy Cornish. “This project gives us a way to address both sides of that challenge — managing our peak demand while strengthening Berkshire East’s ability to support our community when the grid is under stress.”

Pisgah Energy installs solar array for Sisters of Mercy in North Carolina

North Carolinian solar firm Pisgah Energy has completed its latest project, as the team recently energized a new ground-mounted solar site for the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas at their Belmont, North Carolina campus.

Bright spot: Set to generate more than 919 MW of renewable energy, the installation will offset about 30% of the total electricity usage of the Sisters of Mercy campus. Officials say this energy generation will greatly support the nonprofit’s efforts of achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

“From getting City ordinances updated to working around complex underground infrastructure, this project came with its fair share of challenges,” says Evan Becka, president of Pisgah Energy. “Start to finish, I’ve been impressed with the Sisters of Mercy’s steadfast commitment to ensuring their vision was realized, and it was an honor bringing them one step closer to achieving zero (greenhouse gas) emissions.”

The 680 kWdc solar site will offset about 634 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, representatives from the Asheville-based solar firm say. This amount of energy is enough to remove the air pollution of driving about 1.4 million miles, or recycling 203 tons of waste instead of taking it to a landfill.

“The Sisters of Mercy are committed to do our part to make life on our home, planet Earth, sustainable for generations into the future,” says Sister Judith Fricker, RSM, a member of the Sisters of Mercy Institute Leadership Team. “We have called ourselves to align our institutional practices with actions to address the urgent climate crisis that we all face.

“There is much that needs to be done and that will only be effective if we collaborate in this effort. We are grateful to all the people who worked hard over last few years to make this step possible.”

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