Neuse River Solar Farm; A Collaborative Effort of Four Partners

The idea of developing a solar array at the City of Raleigh’s Neuse River Wastewater Treatment Plant was first hatched in 2008. The City would join forces with three energy companies to bring the project to completion, culminating with today’s opening celebration of the Neuse River Solar Farm.

The solar farm, sitting on 10 acres at the wastewater treatment plant in southeastern Wake County, is the largest utility-scale solar power project to be located on local government property in the state of North Carolina. The partners in the project with the City of Raleigh are NxGen Power, Southern Energy Management and Progress Energy Carolinas.

NxGen Power of Charlotte owns and operates the Neuse River Solar Farm and sells the output to Raleigh-based Progress Energy Carolinas for distribution to its customers. Southern Energy Management of Morrisville designed, engineered and constructed the solar array. The City of Raleigh provided land for the project under a lease agreement. No capital from the City of Raleigh was used for the solar array. The City has the option to purchase the solar farm after seven years, according to terms of the lease agreement.

The 1.3-megawatt Neuse River Solar Farm is expected to generate approximately 1.7 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, roughly the equivalent to the annual energy use of about 130 homes in North Carolina. The project is anticipated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1,300 metric tons annually.

Building on Raleigh’s commitment to being a leader in sustainability concepts such as renewable energy, the City’s Public Utilities Department in 2008 began looking into the feasibility of locating a solar array at the Neuse River Wastewater Treatment Plant. At the same time, Progress Energy Carolinas had started soliciting development proposals for renewal energy projects. The utility sought the proposals in response to the state’s 2007 energy law mandating renewable energy and conservation.

Three firms submitted solar energy project proposals for the Neuse River Wastewater Treatment Plant. After an evaluation process, Progress Energy Carolinas accepted NxGen Power’s and Southern Energy Management’s proposal for a solar array. Construction of the Neuse River Solar Farm began last fall.

The U.S. solar energy industry continues to be one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association and GTM Research. In North Carolina, 228 firms with activities in the solar energy sector account for approximately 1,900 full-time equivalent positions, or 13 percent of the state’s estimated 14,800 clean energy industry jobs. The greater Wake County region boasts the most clean energy firm offices of any county in North Carolina with nearly 400 reported clean energy establishments. This was accomplished in response to a high demand for renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives in the Triangle region. The City of Raleigh has been involved in other solar energy projects, in addition to the Neuse River Solar Farm.

Construction of the Neuse River Solar Farm created 14 local jobs. The City of Raleigh has an option to purchase the solar array in the future.

About NxGen Power:

NxGen Power, LLC is a developer and operator of renewable energy facilities. NxGen Power uses strategic partnerships and institutional investors to help utility, government, school and commercial customers meet their renewable energy goals without the upfront cost. The company works to educate and to provide customers the opportunity to harness the power of the sun through the use of solar energy and other innovative technologies. For more information, visit www.nxgenpower.com.

About Progress Energy:

Progress Energy is a Fortune 500 energy company. It includes two major electric utilities that serve about 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida. The company is pursuing a balanced strategy for a secure energy future, which includes aggressive energy-efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy technologies and a state-of-the-art electricity system. For more information, visit www.progress-energy.com.

About Southern Energy Management:

Southern Energy Management is a North Carolina-based sustainable energy company. It offers energy efficiency, green building and turn-key solar services for homeowners, builders, companies, government and military clients across the country. Southern Energy Management is consistently recognized as an industry leader both locally and nationally, and is one of a handful of companies in the United States to earn the National Energy Star Partner of the Year award five times. For more information, visit www.southern-energy.com.