Duke Energy, Camp Lejeune get green light for solar project

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Duke Energy received regulatory approval from the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) on Tuesday to construct a solar farm at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Onslow County, N.C.

The 13-megawatt (AC) project – 17 megawatts (DC) – is Duke Energy’s first solar facility at a military base. Covering 80 acres, the facility will be owned and operated by Duke Energy Progress (DEP) and is expected to be online in 2015.

The project will enable the Department of the Navy and U.S. Marine Corps to meet critical renewable energy and energy security goals, while helping Duke Energy further its commitment to renewable energy in the state.

“We are excited to work with Camp Lejeune to meet its renewable energy needs as part of our continued focus to bring more renewable offerings for our customers and the communities we serve,” said Rob Caldwell, Duke Energy’s senior vice president for distributed energy resources.

Crowder Construction Services, based in Charlotte, will serve as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor. The project will use approximately 55,000 monocrystalline solar panels supplied by SolarWorld Americas. GE’s Power Conversion business will supply its Brilliance inverters to be built out of its Pittsburgh facility.

Duke Energy: a renewable energy leader

In addition to the Camp Lejeune project, Duke Energy is building three other projects as part of its US$500-million solar expansion in North Carolina.

Duke Energy currently owns or purchases more than 500 megawatts of solar capacity in North Carolina from more than 600 installations. North Carolina is fourth in the nation for installed solar.