US utility Duke Energy has completed the final project in its 10 project PV portfolio in Florida, with a total combined capacity of 700MW.
The 74.9MW Charlie Creek Solar Power Plant, located in Hardee County, is the last of 10 solar sites that are part of the company’s multiyear plan with the Florida Public Service Commission to deliver 700MW of solar generation from 2018 through 2022.
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Moreover, the company intends to more than double this power supply to the state within the next two years.
“By 2024, we plan to provide 1,500MW of solar generation as part of our ongoing strategy to offer cleaner, smarter energy solutions that will benefit all Florida customers,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president.
“With a combined investment of more than US$2 billion, Duke Energy Florida’s solar generation portfolio will include 25 grid-tied solar power plants, which will benefit all Florida customers and will provide about 1,500 MW of emission-free generation from approximately 5 million solar panels by 2024,” Duke Energy said in a statement.
In July 2021, Duke Energy said it was planning to invest US$1 billion in Florida via its subsidiary Duke Energy Florida and has also recently committed to exiting coal by 2035 in what it said was “the largest planned coal fleet retirement in the industry”.
The Charlotte, North Carolina-headquartered company, which also pledged to generate less than 5% of its energy from coal by 2030, has also expanded its net zero goals to include Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 emissions.