Lightsource bp’s $250 million Honeysuckle Solar farm goes live
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United Kingdom-based Lightsource bp’s Honeysuckle Solar project in St. Joseph County has entered commercial operation with 188 megawatts of new clean energy generation.
The $250 million, privately funded project is expected to generate enough energy annually to power the equivalent of 27,000 U.S. homes and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 204,000 metric tons each year, the company said.
Lightsource noted that the project in New Carlisle utilized 85% local labor during construction.
“With our project partners, we are supporting the rapidly growing U.S. solar manufacturing sector, local unions and investing in rural America,” Lightsource bp USA COO Emilie Wangerman said. “Honeysuckle Solar showcases these and other quantifiable benefits Americans are deriving from the Inflation Reduction Act.”
The company has inked a power purchase agreement with Google to provide power from the solar farm for its $2 billion data center campus in Fort Wayne. AEP Energy Partners has also signed a power purchase agreement, Lightsource announced last year.
“We have an ambitious goal to operate every Google campus on clean electricity every hour of every day by 2030, which will include our Fort Wayne data center once it comes online,” Google’s Global Head of Data Center Energy Amanda Peterson Corio said. “We look forward to working with Lightsource bp to support our Indiana operations with clean energy and drive continued economic impact in the state.”
South Bend-based Inovateus Solar LLC led the construction and 170 of the 200 construction workforce was sourced from local unions including IBEW Local 153, IUOE Local 150 and LiUNA Local 645.
The project also offered entry level workers an opportunity to gain hands-on experience and enroll in apprenticeship programs, Lightsource said.
“The ability to have a project like Honeysuckle Solar is a huge win and a major attraction piece as we sell a hub of enterprise in St. Joseph County called the Indiana Enterprise Center,” St. Joseph County Executive Director of Economic Development Bill Schalliol said. “We have had over $14 billion of new project investment announced this year and access to a project like Honeysuckle that is generating local clean energy onto our grid is a major factor in that investment.”
Honeysuckle said it will deliver $30 million in taxes to the local community over the project life, translating to additional funding for local schools and other services. The company has also committed to a $3 million economic development fund for project allocation by St. Joseph County officials.
The company partnered with local farmer, Greg Gunthorp, to manage rotational sheep grazing at Honeysuckle Solar to maintain vegetation and expand their livestock business.
As a commitment to environmental sustainability, St. Joseph County will provide local regulatory control over the solar farm. New trees and vegetation will also be planted to provide screening and habitat for local wildlife. Keeping in line with local aesthetics, the company used agricultural game style fence instead of industry-standard chain link fencing.
At the end of the project lifecycle, the solar panels will be recycled because Lightsource bp has a zero landfill policy for solar panels. The company said it is committed to supporting philanthropic activities and charitable donations to local organizations.