Duke adds two new solar plants and 150 megawatts of power to its operations in Florida

Duke Energy Florida has brought two new solar sites online, adding 150 megawatts of renewable energy to the grid as part of the company’s community solar program, Clean Energy Connection. The new High Springs Renewable Energy Center in Alachua County and the Hildreth Renewable Energy Center in Suwannee County have a peak output capable of powering nearly 23,000 homes each.

According to a company press release, Duke Energy Florida has invested over $2 billion in their solar generation portfolio, which ultimately will include 25 grid-tied solar power plants and provide approximately 1,500 MW of emission-free generation using about 5 million solar panels by 2024. The company plans to have its 21st solar project operational by the end of this year.

Through the Clean Energy Connection program, Duke Energy Florida says customers can subscribe to solar power and earn credits toward their electricity bills without having to install or maintain their own equipment. Income-qualified customers enrolled in the program are guaranteed monthly savings on their bill.

Duke Energy, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies, serving 8.2 million customers across six states. The company is working towards an aggressive clean energy transition, aiming for net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050.

Florida Power and Light, the state’s biggest large-scale solar operator, announced last fall that it had 16 solar sites under construction, with plans to continue increasing solar capacity well into the next decade.