OKLAHOMA CITY. A global clean energy company will build a solar panel plant at Tulsa's Inole Port in what is being called the largest economic development project in the state's history.
Enel North America has chosen Oklahoma to host one of the nation's largest solar cell and panel manufacturing plants, the company and its subsidiary 3Sun USA LLC said in a press release Monday.
The Italian company plans to invest more than $1 billion in the new plant and create 1,000 new permanent jobs by 2025. Enel says the second phase of construction will create another 900 jobs.
3Sun USA CEO Giovanni Bertolino said in a statement that the company is proud to partner with a state that is already a leader in the energy sector.
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"Our choice of Oklahoma reflects the strength of Tulsa's Enola waterfront, the state's commitment to workforce development and its attractive investment climate," he said. “With this announcement, we are taking a major step in developing a state-of-the-art (solar cell) plant that will create hundreds of jobs and millions in long-term tax revenue for Oklahoma. Renewable energy."
The construction of the 2 million square meter plant will begin in autumn. The company plans to start producing solar panels by the end of 2024. The construction project is expected to create more than 1,800 jobs.
Enel's announcement comes days after Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a $218.6 million stimulus package to seal the deal. Stitt and Oklahoma Department of Commerce officials said the Enel plant would be the state's largest economic development project.
"Inel's expansion is a huge win for the people of Oklahoma, and I am thrilled with their record-breaking investment in our state's economy and workforce," he said.
Under the new enforcement rules, Enel will be entitled to recover up to 10% of at least $1 billion in capital and/or labor costs. Enel will have to invest $1.8 billion in Oklahoma over 10 years to receive the full $180 million in government incentives.
As part of the deal, lawmakers appropriated $38.6 million for water and sanitation improvements at Tulsa's Port of Inole.
Kate Vesper, a spokeswoman for Stitt, declined to say whether Enel would receive incentives from the Governor's Quick Close Fund, saying Commerce Department officials were not authorized to discuss specific details of the deal at this time because they were bound by confidentiality agreements. .
President Joe Biden's administration's clean energy and business-friendly policies paved the way for NL's expansion in the United States.
The Biden administration's anti-inflation legislation, which includes billions of dollars in aid to encourage green energy development and companies to build solar panels, wind turbines and electric car batteries in the United States, has prompted Enel officials to look for a site for the new plant. . , according to the company's press service.
"Today's announcement from Enel is the latest confirmation that the 'My Invest in America' program is working and that US manufacturing is back," Biden said. communities across the country.
Enel is already present in Oklahoma. The company has a regional office in Oklahoma City and operates 13 wind farms in the state.
Discussions for the new plant have been ongoing since last May, when representatives of the Tulsa Regional Council and Department of Commerce met with Enel executives at the PGA Championship in Tulsa, said Arthur Jackson, division senior vice president.
"Enel North America has a global reputation for clean energy innovation, and this long-term commitment to Oklahoma as a solar panel supplier shines a light on Port Enola and its adaptability to large-scale development," Jackson said. He said. . He says.
Italian textile manufacturer Sofidel has called the Port of Tulsa home since 2020. The 2,500-acre industrial park is located 20 miles east of Tulsa.
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Take a look at America's solar energy potential
Take a look at America's solar energy potential
When Congress passes the Depreciation Act in August 2022, it will provide billions of dollars and millions of acres of land to expand the use of renewable energy. This unprecedented $369 billion investment in climate and energy finance has mobilized private industry. Morningstar Direct reported on CNBC that the private equity firm has invested more than $425 million since Aug. 12, less than a week after President Biden signed the IRA.
Solar energy is one of the most popular forms of sustainable renewable energy. Photovoltaic solar energy is produced when sunlight is converted into electricity. The most efficient way to use sunlight to generate electricity on an industrial scale is to install large silicon panels in solar farms. Utility-scale solar power plants are becoming more cost-effective and efficient.
Solar energy is the fastest growing source of renewable energy. Not only are photovoltaics becoming more attractive to homeowners, but commercial developments are beginning to see the benefits of incorporating solar systems into new construction or retrofitting existing structures with solar power.
The Depreciation Act created the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment Program, a loan program designed to help communities upgrade existing energy infrastructure, such as coal-fired power plants and decommissioned pipelines, as well as homes and businesses with new photovoltaic technologies.
As investment in solar energy is now a priority for both public and private companies, Rocket Solar gathered data from the Energy Information Administration to analyze the use and development of solar energy over the past 30 years. .
Location of solar power plants
In 2021, California's energy costs will be the third highest in the nation, behind only Hawaii and Alaska. To offset costs and reduce fossil fuel emissions, the Biden administration has set aside more than 10 million acres of state-protected wilderness across the state for solar farm construction. Most of these hectares are located in the southern half of the district.
Other southern states, including Texas, are in line for new solar installations. Texas, traditionally considered oil and gas country, has announced plans to add 10 gigawatts (GW) of solar power by the end of 2023 amid growing economic uncertainty. If the state achieves that goal, it will represent a third of the 30 GW expected to come online next year nationwide.
The largest solar companies in the United States
Texas produces and consumes more electricity than any other state, but the power grid is not as reliable as expected. The Texas Energy Reliability Board, which manages the state's electric grid and oversees wind and solar power generation, sees the need to expand the use of alternative and renewable energy sources. Larger and larger projects are underway in West Texas, where the bright sun and vast plains provide ideal conditions for solar power generation.
The state's largest 2W Permian Solar Project Hybrid solar farm is located in Andrews County near the New Mexico border, has 1.3 million solar panels and is estimated to generate enough energy to power more than 80,000 homes. Andrews County's rural and generally flat topography allows for solar farms to become carbon neutral by 2040, attracting the attention of Best Buy, which is financing the Prospero 2 solar farm.
The growth of solar energy companies
Annually in 2006, the California Public Utilities Commission approved a $3 billion state plan to support commercial and residential solar installations. Finally, a solar cell that passed the "40 percent threshold" was created, meaning that the cell converted more than 40% of sunlight into energy. Silicon Valley has become a hotbed of new solar technology development.
In the following years, the number and size of solar power plants increased exponentially. In 2010, there were more than 100 large factories in the United States; By 2020, this figure has increased 6 times.
Global Asset Management Companies such as Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners K/S are also diversifying into renewable energy every year. CIP announced a partnership with Bank of America Corporation. Each year through 2020 to fund the construction of the nation's largest solar power plant in Pecos County, Texas.
The sun in the USA
The southwestern United States generally receives the most direct sunlight and has less tree cover and land cover and warmer temperatures than other parts of the United States. While any region of the United States has the potential to harness and exploit solar energy, this southwestern region, which includes parts of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico, has the most potential. According to the National Solar Radiation Database, the region averages between 6.5 and 7.5 kilowatt hours (kWh) per square meter per day, the highest annual rate of direct sunlight in the country.
For example, solar PV in Arizona is ahead of solar in all other states, but is followed by Utah, California, and Nevada. Of particular note, Arizona held the title of Golden State between 2014 and 2017, despite having only one-fifth of California's installed capacity, according to the EIA. PV modules have the highest capacity PV systems in large areas with high-angle direct exposure to sunlight, making the Southwest states prime locations for solar farms.
Areas like New England or the East Coast that don't have year-round sunlight are still 4-5 kilowatts per square foot per day, so ignore it entirely. In fact, North Carolina, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New York are among the top ten states with the most solar megawatts installed.
This story originally appeared on Rocket Solar and is developed and published in partnership with Stalker Studios.
