Construction Begins for 7.5MW Texas Solar Portfolio

Construction has begun on a portfolio of seven distribution"connected ground mount solar projects that will service the territories of five electric Co"operatives in central and west Texas. Renewable Energy developers Saturn Power Inc, headquartered in Ontario, Canada and UPower Energy, based in Austin Texas, have worked collaboratively to develop this 7.5 MW solar portfolio which will bring clean, affordable, and locally sourced renewable energy to these communities.  

Saturn Power and UPower are helping these Cooperatives provide emission"free renewable energy to residents in their respective communities while also achieving meaningful cost savings through avoidance of demand charges and generation capacity charges from their transmission providers. The generated electricity will be sold via individual 20"year power purchase agreements with the Cooperatives including PenTex Energy, Heart of Texas Electric Cooperative, Comanche County Electric Cooperative, Bartlett Electric Cooperative and South Plains Electric Cooperative. The projects range in size from 500KW to 1.4MW.

The opportunity to develop this solar portfolio was awarded to Saturn Power through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process run by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) on behalf of multiple Texas Electric Cooperatives. The Saturn team designed, developed and permitted the projects to Notice to Proceed (NTP) stage and then engaged the local Texas developer UPower to take over the portfolio through financing, construction and long"term ownership and operation.

"Saturn Power is thrilled to be working with UPower in order to bring this exciting portfolio to fruition", said Doug Wagner, CEO for Saturn Power. "When looking for a local partner to take ownership of the projects, Saturn sought out a company who shared our values and vision, with UPower being an evident match from the beginning." 

"Rocky Mountain Institute was honored to work with all parties involved in making affordable, clean, and local energy a reality in Texas", said Jason Prince, Manager at RMI. "Co"ops power over half of the U.S. landmass, and their independent structures allow them to be true innovators. The Cooperatives that are part of this deal are showing leadership, locally and nationally".

"This partnership amongst developers and cooperatives is a testament to the value of the cooperative business model," said Brandon Young, General Manager at Heart of Texas Electric Cooperative. "As individual cooperatives, we understood our member's desire for renewable energy, and by working cooperatively, we were able to leverage our purchasing power to bring this project to fruition."

"Our new PenTex Energy SolarOne project will provide a renewable energy product, through our existing distribution lines, directly to our members," said John Walterscheid, PenTex Energy Management Advisor. "One third of the businesses considering a relocation to our area and the nearby industrial park, which is served by PenTex Energy, preferred to build and operate in an area where renewable power is available and we are excited to provide that through this project."  

Saturn Power | https://www.saturnpower.com

UPower Energy | https://www.upowerenergy.com