Veolia North America, a provider of environmental solutions in the U.S. and Canada, has partnered with Today’s Power Inc. to install a 5 MW single-axis tracking solar energy system at its hazardous waste treatment facility in Gum Springs, Ark.
The solar array is expected to produce over 250 million kWh over the next quarter century, making the Gum Springs plant the only one of its kind in the U.S. to capture and generate as much power as it uses on an annual basis.
The solar facility will be operational by the fourth quarter of 2024. The electricity from the solar panels will be used to meet the facility’s daily demands, with any excess going to feed the region’s main grid, leading to net zero output.
“This investment to bring clean, renewable power to our Gum Springs operation is a reflection of Veolia North America’s commitment to environmental sustainability and leading the ecological transformation,” says Bob Cappadona, president and CEO of VNA’s Environmental Solutions and Services division, which oversees the Gum Springs project. “As a leading provider of environmental services to communities across the U.S., we have an obligation to ensure that the facilities we operate are equipped to limit our impact on the environment as much as possible.”
“Today’s Power, Inc. is pleased to work with Veolia and South Central Electric Cooperative to provide this 5 MW solar facility to support their renewable energy needs. TPI will be building and operating this facility, and we look forward to a continued strong relationship with Veolia and South Central Electric Cooperative,” adds Today’s Power CEO/President Derek Dyson.
To make room for the new solar panels, Veolia recently cleared a 30-acre lot across the street from the facility.
