Duke Energy starting customer solar generating program
Staff Report
gsanews@scbiznews.com
Published Aug. 27, 2015
Duke Energy is seeking proposals for about 53 megawatts of utility scale solar capacity that would start operating in the company’s S.C. service areas by the end of 2016. Customers can sign up for rooftop and ground-mounted solar rebates starting Oct. 13.
The request advances Duke Energy’s Distributed Energy Resource Program that was approved July 15 by the S.C. Public Service Commission and stems from the Distributed Energy Resource Act of 2014. Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress have about 720,000 customers in South Carolina.
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| Duke Energy has issued a request for proposals in a customer program that will generate up to about 53 megawatts of utility scale solar capacity in the company’s S.C. service areas by the end of 2016. (Photo provided by Duke Energy)The request asks bidders to offer a power-purchase agreement to the company orprovide a proposal that allows Duke Energy ownership of the project or both. Utility scale projects shouldhave a capacity of more than 1 MW and no more than 10 MW.In a separate request, the company is seeking up to 5 MW of solar capacity for its Shared Solar Program. The program allows customers such as nonprofit organizations, churches, community centers, renters and schools to subscribe to the output of a specific solar facility and receive credit on their monthly bill for the energy produced from that facility. The customer receives a bill credit of approximately 6 cents per kilowatt-hour produced.
The programs are expected to add up to 110 MW of solar energy by 2021. Currently, less than 2 MW of solar capacity is connected to Duke Energy in the state. “The collaborative vision to bring solar to South Carolina is now becoming a reality to the benefit of our customers, communities and the state,” said Clark Gillespy, Duke Energy’s South Carolina president.
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