Florida utility pens solar-plus-storage PPA on its way to renewables goal

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
One of Origis Energy's predecessor projects - FL Solar 5 - in operation in Florida. Image: Origis Energy.

Floridian utility Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) has penned a power purchase agreement with developer Origis Energy for a solar-plus-storage project in the state.

The Solar 6 large-scale solar project is claimed to be the first of its kind in GRU’s service area and will combine 50MW of solar PV with 12MW of energy storage.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

It will be constructed by Origis Energy in Alachua County and is slated for completion in late 2022.

Ed Bielarski, general manager at GRU, said the project was the “next step forward” toward meeting a target of deriving 100% of its power from renewable sources by 2045, claiming the agreement to be an “all-around win for our customers, our city and the environment”.

The City of Gainesville approved a target of 100% power from renewables in 2018, with GRU developing its renewables portfolio as it progresses towards that goal. To date, its resources include the 103MW biomass-fired Deerhaven Renewable Generation Station, 3.6MW of landfill-gas fired units and 18.5MW of feed-in tariff accredited solar.

Additionally, it has approximately 9MW of customer-owned and net-metered solar currently connected to its distribution system.

“Solar plus storage on this scale will help Gainesville achieve its 100 percent renewable energy goal,” said Johan Vanhee, chief commercial officer and chief procurement officer at Origis Energy.  “We are honored to bring cost effective power to GRU customers and applaud City leaders as they continue to model clean energy leadership in the Sunshine state.”

Origis Energy is also developing a 57.5MW solar farm in Mitchell County, Georgia, together with state utility Georgia Power.

In early 2019, the renewable energy developer completed a 50MW, 109-hectare PV project together with Reedy Creek Improvement District in Florida, to provide clean energy to the Walt Disney World Resort.

21 October 2025
New York, USA
Returning for its 12th edition, Solar and Storage Finance USA Summit remains the annual event where decision-makers at the forefront of solar and storage projects across the United States and capital converge. Featuring the most active solar and storage transactors, join us for a packed two-days of deal-making, learning and networking.
16 June 2026
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 16-17 June 2026, will be our fifth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2027 and beyond.

Read Next

October 7, 2025
Solar PV will account for almost 80% of the 4.6TW of new renewable power expected to be added by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
October 7, 2025
Doral Renewables has secured a PPA with an unnamed 'corporate buyer' for its 430MW Cold Creek solar-plus-storage project in Texas.
October 7, 2025
US independent power producer (IPP) Arevon has begun operations at two utility-scale solar projects in Indiana.
Premium
October 6, 2025
Talon PV aims to be the first US company to safely manufacture TOPCon cells at scale, backed by European technology and a crucial First Solar licensing deal.
October 6, 2025
US utility AES Corporation is reportedly in discussions to be acquired by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a subsidiary of global asset owning giant BlackRock.
October 6, 2025
An expert panel has identified a series of grid failures that led to April's unprecedented power outage in Spain and Portugal, ruling out renewables as the leading cause.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK