(Credit: Pixabay)EDF Renewables North America today announced the Space City Solar Project is progressing with critical development milestones having signed the first tranche of 55 megawatts (MWac)/73 MWdc to BASF through a Power Purchase Agreement. The Project’s total capacity is up to 345 MWac/455 MWdc. Space City Solar, located in Wharton County, Texas, is expected to commence construction in Summer 2021 and begin delivery of clean electricity in Summer 2022.
Approximately 300 jobs are expected to be created during the construction phase, with more than $30 million generated in new tax revenue over the operating life for Wharton County taxing entities. In addition to providing stable payments to local landowners who chose to lease their land, the Louise Independent School District has the ability to receive $2.5 million in revenue, including $1.8 million in the first year of operation providing the district enacts a Chapter 313 Agreement by December 31, 2020.
Space City Solar is specially designed to generate clean energy while minimizing impacts to wildlife, habitat, and other environmental resources. The project will utilize high efficiency bifacial solar photovoltaic (PV) modules.
BASF has been embracing environmental and sustainability standards in recent years. In July, the company announced plans to share carbon dioxide emissions data for their entire portfolio of around 45,000 products with customers. The global chemical company said that this transparent emissions information should help customers reduce the carbon footprints of their own activities and end products. And last year, BASF committed to a more sustainable poultry value chain as a founding member of the US Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry & Eggs (US-RSPE) and the International Poultry Welfare Alliance (IPWA). The US-RSPE and the IPWA are initiating an effort to establish a living strategy on sustainability and animal welfare that will be anchored in science and a continuous improvement philosophy. BASF will contribute its leadership with the US-RSPE to help establish the first sustainability strategy and metrics for the US poultry and egg industry.
