Another GenPro Energy undertaking in Nebraska, the Hastings Community Solar Project
The City of Norfolk and Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) are celebrating the tip of the development section for the most important solar farm within the state, which is paired with the NPPD’s first large-scale battery storage system.
The 8.5 MW solar + battery storage system was developed and is operated by solar energy developer Sol Systems in partnership with EPC agency GenPro Energy Solutions and actual property growth agency Mesner Development.
The array is a part of NPPD’s neighborhood solar program, SunWise, permitting native Norfolk residents to buy clear energy produced from the array at a set value to offset regular retail electrical energy. Sol Systems and NPPD entered a 30-year power buy settlement (PPA) for the energy of the array.
“The Norfolk community solar facility is going into operation, and it is great to officially celebrate the completion of the state’s largest solar facility,” says Brittney Koenig, NPPD’s account supervisor. “Norfolk customers who have signed up for community solar shares began to see a credit on their bill starting in June.”
“We’re excited to officially launch this project,” feedback City of Norfolk Mayor Josh Moenning. “Participating community members will soon be able to utilize affordable, locally generated clean energy for the first time in this form and fashion. We’re proud to have worked collaboratively with NPPD and the private sector to provide the opportunity. It adds to our quality of life.”
The large-scale battery storage system is able to storing as much as 2 MWh value of electrical energy produced by the solar farm. This will permit NPPD to retailer solar energy for versatile discharge instances, like summer season evenings or winter morning throughout its grid peak instances.
During building, the undertaking website was planted with pollinator habitats to assist native bee and butterfly populations. Prairie flowers and grasses will construct up a thriving native habitat, stabilizing and supporting soil well being whereas offering habitat for species in danger.
“Sol Systems is proud to be a part of this solar + storage project with NPPD and the City of Norfolk because it fully captures what is at the core of Sol’s mission,” states Anna Toenjes, senior director of enterprise growth at Sol Systems. “The project will service this community with clean, renewable energy for decades while creating strong community impact through our scholarship work with NECC. In addition, I am personally proud to have been a part of an all-female team at Sol that led the contract negotiations, development and financing of this solar + storage project.”
In addition to the energy and academic advantages of the array, Sol Systems partnered with Northeast Community College (NECC) to ascertain three scholarships for college students within the faculty’s Electrical Construction and Control Program. The scholarships, which cowl two years of tuition for college students, have been awarded this spring. In additional partnership with NECC, internships with GenPro have been established for college students already enrolled within the Electrical Construction and Control Program, offering them with hands-on expertise serving to to assemble the array.
“As the EPC that has constructed the most municipal solar arrays in the State of Nebraska, it is really important that we can give back to the communities we serve,” mentions Molly Brown, EVP of company technique at GenPro. “Education is at the core of who we are, and the partnership with NECC allowed us to train the next generation of solar electricians. We need more skilled labor as this industry continues to grow.”
“We are proud to be part of the ongoing effort to develop clean energy in Nebraska,” says Cliff Mesner, proprietor of Mesner Development. “Our mission is to provide every Nebraska community with the opportunity for high quality, affordable clean energy integrated with local public power districts and municipal utilities. We believe in public power and we are inspired by the leadership in Norfolk, Neb.”
