Duke Energy Renewables, a commercial business unit of Duke Energy, has acquired two commercial solar power projects near Twentynine Palms, Calif., from project developer SolarWorld. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.
The twin projects, named Highlander Solar 1 and 2, are in close proximity and will be run as a single operation. They will collectively generate 21 MW of renewable energy. Southern California Edison will buy all of the output generated by the project through a 20-year power purchase agreement.
After purchasing the sites in May 2012, SolarWorld directed the project's engineering, procurement, permitting and construction and will complete Highlander in the second quarter of this year. Commercial operation will follow shortly thereafter.
Highlander, which SolarWorld originally named the Desert Star Solar Projects, sits on two parcels of land and features 100,188 SolarWorld Sunmodule solar panels manufactured in the company's Hillsboro, Ore., factory and mounted on SolarWorld's Suntrac single-axis trackers.
