Duke Energy completes 17MW solar plant at Indiana naval base

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Left to right: Duke Energy Indiana president Melody Birmingham-Byrd, Commander Timothy Craddock, lieutenant governor Suzanne Crouch; John Kleim, executive director, Department of the Navy’s Resilient Energy Programme Office. Source: Duke Energy

North Carolina’s Duke Energy has completed a 17MW solar plant at the US Navy’s Support Activity (NSA) Crane facility in Indiana.

Duke Energy will own and provide O&M services for the plant, which is just south of Bloomington and comprised of 76,000 PV modules spread over a 59 hectare site.

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

Yesterday, the Navy lieutenant governor Suzanne Crouch joined officials from Duke Energy to cut the ribbon at the plant. However, Duke has been planning the facility since 2016. In exchange for providing the land for the project, NSA Crane will receive in-kind consideration in the form of electrical infrastructure upgrades, such as a motor-operated disconnect switch, and a microgrid feasibility study.

“This solar power plant helps provide our customers with a more balanced energy mix using both traditional fuel sources and renewable energy sources,” said Melody Birmingham-Byrd, president of Duke Energy Indiana. “We are pleased to partner with the Navy on a project that will deliver clean energy to Indiana customers, and improved energy security for the Navy.”

“The solar project at Naval Support Activity Crane will serve as a catalyst for future energy infrastructure projects for the Navy, as well as bringing greater energy management to our state, spurring innovation and growth,” added Crouch.

Read Next

October 2, 2026
Welcome to the PV Tech Best of the Week roundup, covering the week’s biggest stories from the global solar PV industry.
Premium
October 2, 2026
The US solar industry is contending with variable module quality as new suppliers jostle to serve this lucrative market.
October 2, 2026
Independent power producer (IPP) ContourGlobal and community-owned public power utility Platte River Power Authority have completed construction of a 324MW solar PV complex in the US state of Colorado.
October 2, 2026
Germany is on course to produce over 600,000 tonnes of solar PV waste material by 2030, potentially worth billions in aluminium and silver.
October 2, 2026
First Solar has filed a patent lawsuit against JA and some of its subsidiaries, as well as American Panel Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Corning.
October 2, 2026
Alight has acquired a portfolio of 40 utility-scale solar projects in southern Sweden from Soltech Energy Solutions.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
February 2, 2027
London, UK