Duke Energy Announces Distributed Generation Solar Sites

October 13, 2009 -- CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Four sites have been selected to have solar energy systems installed on their rooftops as part of the first phase of Duke Energy’s distributed solar generation program in North Carolina.

Duke Energy has selected large nonresidential customer sites for this first phase. They are:

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* National Gypsum Company in Mount Holly, N.C., will house a 1.2-megawatt system which includes 5,096 rooftop solar panels.
* Highwood Properties in Greensboro, N.C., will house a 1.6-megawatt system which includes 7,020 rooftop solar panels.
* Food Lion, in Salisbury, N.C., will house a 1,292-kilowatt (1.3-megawatt) system which includes 5,616 rooftop solar panels.
* Childress Klein Properties in Charlotte, N.C., will house a 532-kilowatt (.5-megawatt) system which includes 2,314 rooftop solar panels.

These sites were selected based on their ready access to the electrical grid and solar productivity potential, in addition to other essential lease agreement criteria. Installations will begin immediately, with all phase one systems being installed by the end of the first quarter of 2010.

The North Carolina Solar Photovoltaic Distributed Generation program, approved by the NC Utilities Commission earlier this year, enables Duke Energy to install solar panels on the roofs and properties of manufacturing facilities, commercial buildings and homes in the company’s North Carolina service territory.

Duke Energy will invest approximately $50 million to construct and own a total of 10 megawatts of solar energy capacity in the state, capable of providing electricity to approximately 1,300 homes.

“This distributed solar generation program remains one of the country’s largest programs of its kind and further demonstrates our commitment to renewable energy investment,” said Brett Carter, president of Duke Energy Carolinas. “We remain committed to exploring programs that give our customers the opportunity to contribute to a greener tomorrow.”

North Carolina’s renewable energy standard requires each public electric utility to meet at least 12.5 percent of its North Carolina retail customers’ electricity needs through new renewable energy sources or energy efficiency measures by 2021. Duke Energy is committed to providing products and services that enable our customers to directly participate in achieving the standard. Our new solar program joins a portfolio of energy efficiency programs that began being implemented in June of this year.

Source: Duke Energy