Solar energy has failed to penetrate the energy market in Pennsylvania energy to the extent that it has in other states: Solar power currently provides less than 1% of the state’s electricity. The growth of solar power in Pennsylvania is limited by the state’s low sun exposure.
Nonetheless, it has potential for expansion: For example, if all of the usable rooftop space in Pennsylvania had photovoltaic panels installed, those panels would be capable of providing 34.5% of the state’s electricity. Moreover, if utility-scale solar developers started constructing more solar sites in Pennsylvania, this number could drastically increase, which is why the following solar park developers are of great importance to the renewable energy market:
1) Dakota Power Partners (Colorado, US)
Dakota Power Partners works closely with local communities and utilities in the United States to develop large-scale renewable energy projects. The company has already participated in the development of 5,000 MW of wind and solar projects in the US. Together with Eolian, it has started the development of a 3200 MW portfolio of solar and solar-plus-storage projects in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, Missouri and Colorado. One of the projects is the Northumberland Solar PV Park, a 70 MW solar PV power project in Pennsylvania, which is expected to be operational by 2023.
2) Enel Green Power (Rome, Italy)
Enel Green Power develops solar and wind projects nationwide in the US, and collaborates closely with the communities. The company manages more than 1,200 power plants on five continents. It has assets either in operation or under construction in 21 countries and development activities in 5 countries, with over 50 GW of installed renewable capacity globally and 11 GW in North America. Currently, Enel Green Power is developing the Dover Solar Project in Dover Township, Pennsylvania. Featuring 75 MW of solar power capacity, the project is expected to be operational by the end of 2023. The Dover Solar Project will produce enough carbon-free electricity to power 12,000 local households in Pennsylvania.
3) Lightsource BP (London, UK)
Lightsource bp is a global leader in the development and management of solar energy projects. Since 2010, it has developed solar projects with a capacity of 5.4 GW in 18 countries. Lightsource BP will finance, build, own and operate two solar farms totalling 44 MW in the US state of Pennsylvania, which will generate an estimated annual total of 67,000 MWh of Energy. Moreover, it supplies 70 MW of large-scale offsite solar to Penn State University, providing 25% of Penn State’s state-wide electricity requirements. Furthermore, Cottontail solar is a 191MWac solar energy project that Lightsource bp is in the process of developing on seven sites in Pennsylvania.
Image Source: Chelsea via Unsplash (28.06.2022)
