Duke Energy Corp. recently launched construction of its largest solar project to date being built in Texas as part of the company’s aggressive clean energy strategy to double its enterprise wide renewable portfolio in the next few years.

Based in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is targeting to cut its carbon emissions in half by 2030, ultimately achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In order to achieve these targets, the company plans to add large amounts of renewable energy and is currently on track to operate or purchase 16,000 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity by 2025.

“We’re excited to continue to grow our Texas solar portfolio, which will provide additional energy resources for the citizens of Texas to help meet their growing demand and need for a more diverse energy infrastructure,” said Chris Fallon, president of Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions, a nonregulated commercial brand of Duke Energy.

In a release on June 7, Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions announced the start of construction of the 250-MW Pisgah Ridge Solar project outside Dallas in Navarro County, Texas. Once in operation, expected by year-end 2022, it will be the largest utility-scale solar facility in Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions’ fleet, adding enough energy to power approximately 63,000 additional residences in the Lone Star State.

Additionally, Duke Energy said June 7 that Charles River Laboratories International Inc. signed a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for 102 MW of the project over 15 years. This commitment will address the entirety of the company’s North American electric power load with clean, renewable energy by 2023, according to the release.

“This VPPA is the first step toward our commitment to source 100% renewable electricity globally by 2030,” said Gregg Belardo, senior director of EHS and sustainability at Charles River, a leading provider of critical research tools and integrated support services that enable innovative and efficient drug discovery and development.

“The benefits of the Pisgah Ridge Solar project move us substantially closer to achieving that goal,” Belardo added.

Charles River was advised on the VPPA by Schneider Electric, who assisted the company in its project selection and negotiations.

Two other corporations have signed separate 15-year VPPA agreements for the remaining 148 MW of solar energy generated by the Pisgah Ridge Solar project. Per the Duke Energy release, all three VPPAs associated with the site will settle on an as-generated basis tied to the project’s real-time energy output.

“This project demonstrates how we can address the community’s need for clean energy resources, while providing unique sustainability solutions for customers like Charles River,” Fallon noted in the company release.

Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions currently operates nearly 1,500 MW of wind, 500 MW of solar and a 36 MW battery storage facility in Texas.

As one of the nation’s top renewable energy providers, Duke Energy plans to double its enterprise wide renewable portfolio to 16 gigawatts by 2025.

The Pisgah Ridge Solar project is expected to employ 200 to 300 workers at peak construction. The engineering and construction for the project are being performed by Moss, while Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions will own and operate the project.

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