US solar developer Longroad Energy has sold a 108MW solar PV project to US utility Dominion Energy in Virginia.
Located in Halifax County, Virginia, the ‘Foxhound’ project has begun construction, and financial close is expected when the solar plant reaches mechanical completion in January 2024.
This has been the first project in the state of Virginia for the solar developer, as well as the first in the PJM market, according to Paul Gaynor, CEO at Longroad Energy.
The project has secured long-term power purchase agreements (PPA) with undisclosed clients, while solar panels will be provided by US thin-film module manufacturer First Solar with its Series 6+ solar modules which they previously used for projects developed in Texas or Maine.
Moreover, the utility-scale project will use native plants under the solar panels and a pollinator-friendly seed mix around the arrays, which will help the native fauna and improve soil stabilisation and water retention among other benefits.
Matt Wells, director at Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, said: “The benefits of Foxhound’s pollinator habit – both around the array and under the panels – will have a positive impact both on the project and the surrounding area. We commend Longroad Energy’s commitment to supporting biodiversity by being the first utility-scale solar project to achieve Virginia Pollinator-Smart certification.”
Since its founding in 2016, Longroad Energy has developed or acquired 4.3GW of renewable energy projects across the US.
