Renewable energy progress in the U.S. has taken another step forward as large solar installations continue to grow in popularity and roll-outs.
In Los Angeles, fashion retailer Forever 21 has partnered with PermaCity Solar, a solar energy provider, to install the largest single-rooftop solar power system in L.A. County, and the third-largest in California. The 5.1 MW system on Forever 21’s headquarters is designed to deliver 36% more electricity than standard solar panels and the renewable energy produced will avoid the production of nearly 14 million pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
To help get the project off the ground, Forever 21 also made use of local solar programs supported by the LADWP Feed-in Tariff Program, including the FiT100 Set Pricing Program and the Solar Incentive Program.
Renewable adoption isn’t just relegated to the West Coast, however, as the Department of the Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps, and Duke Energy, a power company, have partnered to create a 13 MW solar facility at the Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The 80-acre installation will connect to the electric grid at a substation of the base, providing enough power to supply around 3,000 homes when the sun is shining.
While the system is planned to be located on the base, the produced power will be available for purchase from consumers while Camp Lejeune will continue to purchase power. Still in the planning phase, the project is expected to proceed as soon as a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity is acquired from the North Carolina Utilities Commission.
