Ozarks Electric Cooperative is embarking on its third large-scale solar project, developing a new 2.7 megawatt solar park. This park will also include seven megawatts of battery storage for Ozarks Electric.
The Northwest Arkansas-based electric cooperative is collaborating with Today’s Power Inc. to develop the new solar park, which will be located on 25 acres of land near Lincoln. This solar park is projected to produce four million kilowatt-hours of electricity within its first year of operation and will service the City of Springdale, Elkins Public Schools, Lincoln Public Schools and OzarksGo.
“As technology and innovation in the renewable energy sector continue to grow, Ozarks believes that renewable energy will be an increasingly important part of our member’s lives,” Ozarks Electric president and CEO Mitchell Johnson said in a statement “We are pleased to partner with Today’s Power to provide solar solutions for our members.”
The solar park users will have separate metering that will enable each organization to be billed for its energy used under a solar power service agreement. According to an Ozarks Electric news release, the project is expected to save the participating organizations $3 million over the course of 20 years.
Today’s Power Inc. will own the solar park, and will be responsible for constructing, operating and maintaining it for the participating members. It will also oversee the battery storage for Ozarks Electric, which is designed to mitigate wholesale demand charges.
“We are always happy to help cooperatives and their members find ways to leverage renewable energy, and this solar park will be a great example,” TPI president Michael Henderson said. “Partnerships like these show that with cooperation and innovation, everyone can benefit from renewable energy.”
The project is currently in the planning and engineering phase and a groundbreaking ceremony is expected to be held in early 2021. The project is slated to be completed by June 2021.
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