U.S. Great Lakes Region Home to $10 Billion in Solar-Generation Projects Under Construction

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Solar projects are popping up across all regions of the U.S., and the U.S. Great Lakes is no exception. Industrial Info is tracking $10 billion worth of solar-generation projects under construction in the U.S. Great Lakes region, which includes Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Illinois.

The largest of these is the $1.2 billion construction of Swift Current Energy's (Boston, Massachusetts) Double Black Diamond solar project in central Illinois, about 30 miles from Springfield, which the renewable developer expects will be the largest U.S. solar project east of the Mississippi River when operational around the end of the year--providing approximately 800 megawatts (MW) by utilizing First Solar Incorporated (NASDAQ:FSLR) (Tempe, Arizona) solar panels. McCarthy Building Companies Incorporated (Saint Louis, Missouri) launched construction of the plant in late 2022. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here to read a detailed project report.

The project has a long-term power purchase agreement in place with Constellation Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:CEG) (Baltimore, Maryland), which will provide the power to commercial entities such as TransUnion (NYSE:TRU) (Chicago, Illinois) and the City of Chicago.

In Ohio, Dominion Energy Incorporated (NYSE:D) (Richmond, Virginia) is putting the finishing touches on the $300 million Phase III expansion of its Hardin Solar Plant in Alger. The project, which includes the addition of 250 MW worth of photovoltaic (PV) panels, would nearly double the facility's overall capacity to 570 MW. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report.

The most recent data from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), through first-quarter 2024, shows Illinois and Ohio rank 14th and 15th, respectively, among U.S. states in terms of installed solar capacity.

Another solar project underway in the U.S. Great Lakes region is NextEra Energy Incorporated's (NYSE:NEE) (Juno Beach, Florida) 200-MW, $300 million Green River solar plant in Irvington, Kentucky, which is expected to begin operations in 2025. The plant's solar panels are on a fixed-tilt tracking system, which is constructed from steel sourced from Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) (Charlotte, North Carolina). Click here to read more information.

In Michigan, the construction of CMS Energy Corporation's (NYSE:CMS) (Jackson, Michigan) solar plant in Muskegon County is underway. The plant is designed to utilize First Solar's Series 7 solar panels to provide 250 MW of generation. Engineering, procurement and construction firm Burns & McDonnell Incorporated (Kansas City, Missouri) kicked off construction in April and expects to complete the project around the end of 2025. Subscribers can read the project report for more information.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Database can click here for a full list of solar-generation projects under construction in the U.S. Great Lakes region.

Subscribers can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.

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).