boiling point of light source 152.5MW reached commercial operationAlternating current/173-MWdirect current The Bellflower Solar Project is located approximately 60 miles east of Indianapolis in Henry and Rush counties. Lightsource bp, which will develop, finance, own and operate Bellflower Solar, has entered into a virtual power purchase agreement with telecommunications company Verizon for the energy Bellflower Solar will generate.
Credit: Lightsource bp
“Verizon is committed to protecting the planet by producing renewable energy and supporting the transition to a greener U.S. energy grid. Energy will help us achieve net zero operational emissions by 2035,” said James Gowen, Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain and Procurement and Chief Sustainability Officer, Verizon.
Lightsource bp will plant 800 acres of native plants under and around the solar panels, which will be preserved for decades. An additional 10 acres are devoted to lush pollinator gardens with over 60 different flowering plants.
Agricultural production also takes place at this location. A local commercial beekeeper manages the hives and produces honey from the solar farm, while another local farmer helps maintain the vegetation by grazing sheep.
This solar farm participates in a study measuring the ecological benefits of pollinator habitat in utility-scale solar farms. The research team consists of the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Argonne National Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
“The Bellflower Project is a great example of our commitment to responsible solar development in action,” said Kevin Smith, CEO, LightSource bp Americas. “Lightsource bp not only provides clean, affordable and reliable energy, but also maximizes the sustainable benefits of solar projects to local communities, protects ecosystems and conserves biodiversity. We are working hard to improve.”
The Bellflower Project is expected to generate $30 million in property tax revenue for Rush and Henry Counties during its operational life, benefiting local schools and other community services. An annual operating budget of $2.4 million is spent primarily in this region.
More than 350 people worked on-site during the peak construction period to build this facility. SOLV energy The engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the project involved the installation of more than 377,000 solar panels manufactured by Arizona-based First Solar. It also includes a solar tracker manufactured by New Mexico-based Array Technologies.
“Indiana is an emerging leader in the clean energy transition and Bellflower is a prime example of how investments in solar energy are benefiting Hoosiers. The project will provide economic benefits to the entire community through new employment and training opportunities for residents, support for local schools and non-profit organizations, and income for local businesses that SOLV Energy has partnered with during construction. ,” said George Hirschman, CEO of SOLV.energy
News article from Lightsource bp