Lightsource bp and the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA) break ground on the 130MWdc/100 MWac Black Bear Solar project. This is one of the largest solar farms in the state of Alabama.
Price stabilization
Lightsource bp announces that Black Bear Solar will power 11 AMEA member municipal utilities with solar energy. Black Bear Solar will provide energy under a 20-year power sales agreement. The project acts as insurance against price volatility in the natural gas market for AMEA.
With the Lightsource bp project, AMEA expects to save about $40 million over 20 years. Fred D. Clark, Jr, President and CEO of AMEA, states:
“MEA saves money with a local renewable resource that helps us provide reliable, cost-effective energy to our communities. With a fixed price contract for Black Bear Solar’s electricity for the next 20 years, we are building more long-term stability and diversity into our energy portfolio.”
Finally, the Black Bear Solar project will be operational in November 2022.
An economic project
280,000 solar panels will make up Lightsource bp’s Black Bear Solar project. The company uses ultra-low carbon photovoltaic panels manufactured by First Solar. In addition, 400 people, the majority of whom are local workers, are working on the implementation of this project.
The Montgomery County Commission and Chamber of Commerce are important partners for AMEA and Lightsource bp. Indeed, the Black Bear Solar project is stimulating local economic development and tax revenues. As a result, it will bring in over $7 million in property tax revenue to the county’s schools over the life of the project.
