Pattern Energy Group (Pattern Energy) closed the previously announced acquisition of a one-third interest in the 270-MW K2 Wind Power Facility in Ontario from Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Development). Pattern Energy will hold a 33% equity interest in the facility, which is equally co-owned by Samsung Renewable Energy and Capital Power.
AES Distributed Energy, a subsidiary of AES, commissioned a 4-MW solar project located in Dublin, Georgia. This system is the first of two solar PV projects being developed by AES Distributed Energy and its partners, collectively expected to supply 20 MW to the Georgia Power utility grid. The second, 16 MW project, is under development and is expected to be operational in the first half of 2016.
NextEra Energy Resources, through an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary, and Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3), completed a 2.6-MW solar system on the main college campus in Dryden, New York. The system, installed on approximately 10 acres, is expected to meet 90 percent of the college's electricity needs. The ground-mounted fixed-array system is composed of 8,676 solar modules. TC3 will purchase the electricity from the solar project over the term of a 25-year PPA.
Tampa Electric received the Edison Electric Institute's (EEI's) 2015 Edison Award, the electric power industry's highest honor, for its design and construction of a reclaimed water system at its Polk Power Station in Polk County, Florida. Tampa Electric designed and built a reclaimed water-treatment project that offers environmental benefits to Hillsborough and Tampa bays.
First Solar set a world record for cadmium-telluride (CdTe) PV module conversion efficiency, achieving 18.6 percent aperture efficiency for an advanced full size module. For the first time ever, First Solar has demonstrated a record module that is more efficient than the best multi-crystalline module recorded. The record has been measured and certified by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Pattern Energy closed the previously announced acquisition of two operational wind power facilities totaling 351 MW from Wind Capital Group and its affiliates for a final purchase price of $242 million plus assumed net debt of $102 million. The acquisition includes ownership interests in the 201-MW Post Rock Wind facility in Kansas, and the 150-MW Lost Creek Wind facility in Missouri. The Post Rock Wind facility in Kansas has a long-term contract with Westar.
Southern Company subsidiary Southern Power acquired the 103-MW Butler solar facility from Community Energy. The facility, located on approximately 1,070 acres in Taylor County, Georgia, is expected to enter commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2016. Construction is slated to begin in September 2015, with First Solar managing the building, operations and maintenance of the facility.
SunEdison was awarded contracts to build 33 MW of rooftop solar with Southern California Edison (SCE). SCE will purchase the electricity from 17 rooftop solar systems through 20-year PPA. TerraForm Power intends to acquire these projects from SunEdison upon completion. Operation and maintenance of the solar power plants will be performed by SunEdison Services. The solar power plants are scheduled to be operational in 2016.
Kyocera TCL Solar completed construction of its third floating mega-solar power plant in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The 2.3-MW plant will generate an estimated 2,680 MWh per year. This marks the third floating installation completed by the company, in addition to 1.7MW and 1.2MW plants which began operation last month at two different sites in Hyogo Prefecture. The company is also developing a 13.4MW installation on a dam reservoir in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.
SunEdison signed agreements with five municipal entities on Long Island to build seven solar power plants totaling 14 MW. The electricity from these power plants will be sold to the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) through separate 20-year power PPAs. The contracts with the Town of Southold, Town of Easthampton, Nassau County, Suffolk County and the Suffolk County Water Authority were awarded as part of the LIPA 100 MW Clean Solar Initiative Feed-in Tariff program.