Enel Reports Boom in Renewables Development Activity in 2022

Enel North America says it built 1.98 GW of utility-scale wind, solar and battery storage capacity across the U.S. and Canada in 2022, as well as added over 550 MW of new demand response capacity.

The company also had an additional 119 MW of distributed energy storage deployed or under contract last year.

Enel’s renewables business, Enel Green Power, closed out 2022 with several new clean power plants in North America, including the 270 MW Blue Jay solar project in Texas, the 250 MW 25 Mile Creek wind project in Oklahoma, and several others. The Blue Jay project also includes a paired battery storage facility expected to begin operation in 2023.

Combined, the new projects in the U.S. and Canada represent over $200 million in new property tax revenue for communities and over $210 million in landowner payments over the projects’ lifetimes.

In 2022, Enel signed 12 power purchase agreements totaling over 630 MW, including deals with Campbell Soup Company, Thermo Fisher Scientific, McDonald’s and five members of its North America Logistics Council, and more. To support the 25 Mile Creek wind project, Enel signed virtual power purchase agreements in late 2022 with Verizon for a 100 MW portion of the wind farm’s output and with MathWorks for a 11 MW portion. The Clorox Company previously signed a VPPA for a 47 MW portion of the project.

The company’s capacity growth occurred alongside its expansion into new business areas: Enel revealed its intention to build a large-scale PV solar panel and cell manufacturing facility in the U.S. and begin retail electricity sales in select deregulated US states.

Worldwide, Enel built over 5.2 GW of new renewable capacity over the course of the year.

“Thanks in part to major policy action and high market demand, Enel is stepping up its contribution to move the U.S. and Canada closer to a zero-carbon economy,” says Enrico Viale, head of Enel North America. “We feel a sense of urgency to usher in large-scale clean power plants together with other energy solutions that advance our society toward full decarbonization.”

Original Source: https://solarindustrymag.com/enel-reports-boom-in-renewables-development-activity-in-2022