North America PV News Snippets

Green hydrogen project of Invenergy; Pivot Energy starts construction of 10 community solar projects; SPPA has secured PPA for 300 MW solar and 600 MWh battery storage project; Georgia Power's 2022 IRP approved; First Solar secures Solarvest order for 93 MW DC module order.

Invenergy announces green hydrogen project: Renewable energy company Invenergy will use on-location solar power for an Ohmium International electrolyzer to electrify its maiden green hydrogen project. The Illinoi, US located Sauk Valley Hydrogen Project is expected to generate up to 52 tons of hydrogen annually, with capability to store up to 400 kg of hydrogen on site. It can also provide hydrogen to Invenergy's 584 MW gas-fired Nelson Energy Center. Excess hydrogen generated will be shipped and used offsite. Invenergy said the project is expected to enter construction in the coming months and come fully online by the end of 2022. The company now counts green hydrogen as the 5^th technology in its portfolio that already comprises wind, solar thermal power generation, and advanced energy storage projects.

Pivot Energy constructing 17.1 MW community solar: In another news from Illinois, Pivot Energy has started constructing 10 new community solar projects in the US state representing 17.1 MW combined capacity. It adds to the company's 34 MW portfolio developed across Illinois in 2021, taking its community solar capacity now at 51 MW. Pivot Energy said this portfolio can produce 80 million kWh electricity annually.

PPA for 300 MW solar & storage project: The Southwest Public Power Agency (SPPA) in the US has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with BrightNight joint venture (JV) for 300 MW solar and 600 MWh battery storage. SPPA called it the largest renewable energy purchase in its operational history. It will supply 21 of its constituent members. Power will be supplied from BrightNight's Box Canyon project in Arizona's Pinal County that the latter is working on with its JV partner Cordelio Power. It is expected to come online in 2025, stated American Public Power Association (APPA).     

Georgia Power's 2022 IRP approved: US utility Georgia Power has got a green signal from the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) for its 2022 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). An exercise to be conducted every 3 years, the IRP sets out a roadmap for the utility to follow to ensure sufficient and stable energy flow in the years to come. The 2022 IRP now allows the company to add 2.3 GW new renewable energy resources to its portfolio by 2025 along with 500 MW battery energy storage, to support its long term plan for 6 GW of additional renewable resources by 2035. Barring the Plant Bowen coal fired plant, Georgia Power will retire and decertify all of its coal power units by 2028. It will also be able to go ahead with the Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Customer Program, starting with a 250 MW pilot. Under this, customers will receive a resiliency service via a company-owned, operated and maintained DER as solar and battery energy storage system. There will also be an Income-Qualified Community Solar Pilot.   

First Solar secures 93 MW DC order: American solar module manufacturer First Solar, Inc has landed an order to supply 93 MW DC of its solar panels to Malaysia's Solarvest Holdings Berhad. The latter plans to use these Series 6 modules for its projects in the states of Selangor, Perak and Kedah in Malaysia. Of the total order, around 75 MW DC capacity is expected to be sourced from First Solar's manufacturing facility in Kulim, Malaysia. The US supplier will complete the order between August 2022 to November 2022. First Solar says it operates a 3.3 GW DC manufacturing plant in Penang.