Lightsource bp's Indiana Solar Project Begins Generating Power

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Lightsource bp (London, England), the third-largest solar-energy developer in the world, announced this week its Bellflower Solar project in Indiana has started commercial operations. Industrial Info is tracking more than 20 U.S. solar projects from the company, with a total investment value of $4.3 billion.

Lightsource bp is a subsidiary of BP plc (NYSE:BP) (London).

The Bellflower project will generate 153 megawatts (MW) of solar power, a portion of which will be used by Verizon Communications Incorporated (NYSE:VZ) via a virtual power purchase agreement. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can learn more from a detailed project report.

In an April press release, the solar developer said it has brought into operation or started construction on 3.2 gigawatts (GW) of U.S. solar projects across 11 states since 2019; that equates to capital spending of nearly $4 billion, the company added.

Among Lightsource bp's projects that are under construction are the 345-MW, $300 million Oxbow solar plant in Louisiana, about 30 miles from Baton Rouge, and the 150-MW, $250 million Honeysuckle solar plant in New Carlisle, Indiana. The projects are expected to wrap up in October 2023 and February 2024, respectively. Both will utilize photovoltaic (PV) solar panels from First Solar Incorporated (NASDAQ:FSLR) (Tempe, Arizona). Subscribers can read detailed reports on the Oxbow and Honeysuckle projects.

About half of the total investment value for Lightsource's projects under development is in Texas. The company expects its proposed $344.5 million Trinity River solar-plus-storage project in Devers, Texas, about 30 miles from Beaumont, will kick off in November. The project will utilize 408,000 PV panels and 48 inverters for 150 MW of solar generation, and the accompanying battery energy storage system (BESS) will provide 75 MW of solar power in times of high demand or when the sun isn't shining.

Meanwhile, the 256-MW, proposed $280 million Alila solar project in Sinton, Texas, about 20 miles north of Corpus Christi, is expected to kick off in March 2024, with completion in 2025. Subscribers can see detailed reports on the Trinity River and Alila projects.

Solar inverters convert direct-current (DC) electricity, which is what a solar panel generates, to alternating current (AC) electricity, which the electrical grid uses, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Last month, Lightsource bp announced it signed an agreement with Siemens (Munich, Germany) to supply 850 MW of inverters over the next two years for unnamed projects from Lightsource in the U.S. Midwest and Southeast regions. The agreement has an option for another 200 MW.

"The U.S. solar industry is poised for historical growth, with the Inflation Reduction Act offering tailwinds toward delivering 30% of our country's electricity by 2030," said Kevin Smith, chief executive officer of the Americas for Lightsource bp, in a related press release. "Executing significant long-term procurement agreements with bankable, world class suppliers like Siemens enables us to meet this urgent demand for sustainable, affordable energy and deliver on Lightsource bp's industry-leading growth plans."

Subscribers to the GMI database can click here for all project reports mentioned in this article and click here for related plant profiles.

Subscribers can click here for a full list of reports for active Lightsource bp projects in the U.S.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).