Ameren Missouri, an arm of US power company Ameren, has announced plans to build or acquire four new solar projects in the US states of Illinois and Missouri, with a total capacity of 550MW.
The company will build two of the projects itself, the Vandalia Renewable Energy Center and the Bowling Green Renewable Energy Center, both 50MW projects in the state of Missouri. The company plans for the former site to begin power generation in 2025, and the latter to begin in 2026.
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Meanwhile, Ameren Missouri purchased the other two projects from other power companies. The company bought Split Rail Solar, a 300MW project in Missouri, from Invenergy, and plans to complete work at the project in 2026. It also acquired Cass County Solar from Savion, a 150MV project in Illinois, at which Savion began construction work in 2019, and that Ameren Missouri plans to bring online next year.
“These projects support our ongoing generation transformation toward more clean energy while maintaining the reliability, resiliency and affordability our customers expect,” said Mark Birk, chairman and president of Ameren Missouri. “In addition, we are taking advantage of new federal incentives that will help us provide renewable energy to our customers at a lower cost.”
Ameren Missouri is aiming to install 2.8GW of renewable capacity across its projects by 2030, and the latest deals will only help the company meet thig target. Its parent company, Ameren, has plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60% of 2005 levels by 2030, and the new solar projects will help the entire organisation decarbonise its energy mix.
The news follows Ameren Missouri’s announcement of plans for an additional 200MW solar plant in Missouri. The company hopes to sign a build-transfer agreement with EDF Renewables, which will see the renewables arm of the French power company construct the project before the end of 2024, and sell it to Ameren Missouri.
Projects such as these could make a significant difference to the Missouri power mix, with the US Solar Energy Industries Association reporting that, in the first quarter of this year, there were just 484MW of solar installed and in operation in the state. The same group estimates that over 2.1GW of new solar capacity will be added over the next five years, so Ameren Missouri is looking to capitalise on a rapidly-growing sector.