Construction begins on 20 MW Alabama solar project
McCarthy Building Companies Inc. recently began construction on a 20-megawatt (MW) solar project in Elmont, Ala. for independent solar power producer Silicon Ranch.
Located on 130 acres approximately 20 miles northwest of Huntsville, the Cumberland Solar Project will contain 170, 220 solar panels and will generate enough power to run 3,000 homes when completed. All power generated will flow into the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) system, as they will buy competitively priced power from the facility.
“This project supports TVA’s mission of service and helps us deliver reliable, low-cost, carbon-free electricity to the 9 million people of the Tennessee Valley,” Jay Stowe, senior vice president Distributed Energy Resources for TVA, said. “Over the next 20 years, TVA will invest about $8 billion to support our renewable energy portfolio to help our customers meet their carbon reduction goals.”
McCarthy will hire approximately 120 local craft workers for the project and will train entry-level laborers and people new to the solar industry to meet its needs through the Training Within Industry program.
“Coast to coast, utility-scale solar installation projects are locking in reliability, favorable rates and social responsibility for energy-focused businesses, municipalities and utilities alike by leveraging the power of the sun,” Scott Canada, senior vice president of the Renewable Energy team at McCarthy, said. “We are grateful to team up with sustainable-minded solar owners like Silicon Ranch that understand the value of this infrastructure to local communities, which will provide clean energy for decades to come.”
The project is expected to be completed this December.
