The 300 MW request for proposals — for solar PV plants over 5 MW — that Duke Energy put out just a few months ago, only just in February for that matter, has already been oversubscribed nearly three times over, according to recent reports.
That request for proposals (RfP) was only open to solar PV plants already in Duke Energy’s queue of projects for interconnection, as of February 13, 2014. No projects not in the queue at that time were even considered.
Solar panels near San Antonio Via Duke Energy/Flickr/Some Rights Reserved
The North Carolina–based electric power holding company, the largest in the country, has stated that it is looking to have the selected projects decided on by October 1st. The projects that are selected will be expected to be completed and completely online by the end of 2015 — this is partly in order to ensure the full utilization of state energy tax credits and the federal Investment Tax Credit.
The projects selected will help Duke Energy meet its solar PV generation goals, as well as helping to meet North Carolina’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS).
Of course it’s not all roses and sunshine, though. As this recent RfP isn’t the only thing that Duke Energy has been involved in lately. The powerful utility company is also near the center of a recent high-profile industrial accident. See: Coal Fly Ash Spill In The Dan River In Eden, North Carolina.
Duke has also attracted a fair bit of criticism for its misinformation campaign attacking solar energy in its service territories across the Southern states. You can find out more and let your opinion on the matter be known to Duke Energy at the 350.org petition page on the matter.
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