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About the Episode:
What is the real economic impact of a utility-scale solar farm on rural America?
Want to see a behind the scenes tour of Misenheimer?
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That’s one of the questions I had in mind when I visited one of the largest solar projects recently inaugurated right in my own home state of North Carolina. As one of the largest renewable energy companies in the world, EDP Renewables has expanded its footprint into North Carolina with the 74-megawatt Misenheimer Solar Park, a project big enough to power 12,000 homes while generating more than $30 million in long-term benefits to the local community. Built on rolling terrain the site required innovative problem-solving and strong local partnerships, and years of consensus building before the first pile was driven into the ground. Navigating remote collaboration, regulatory hurdles, and evolving construction challenges, EDP successfully brought its first solar facility in the state online, and I got a first-hand look at what utility-scale solar could mean for rural America.
In this episode, I ask three individuals involved in the project to help break down the tactics behind making a utility-scale solar project successful:
Sandhya Ganapathy, CEO of EDP Renewables North America, shares how EDP builds lasting community relationships and approaches market expansion.
Emily Morilla, Priority Project Manager, explains how the team managed project acquisition, permitting, and construction readiness.
Sabrina Fleischman, Development Project Manager, details the strategies for securing land agreements, maintaining regulatory compliance, and keeping the project on track.
We have a lot of work to do if we’re going to realize our renewable energy future on a timescale that helps mitigate climate emergencies; yet with scores of projects like this one coming online, why do we still so seldom hear about it? This conversation offers actionable insights for developers, project managers, and anyone looking to understand the complexities of bringing large-scale solar to new markets, but also provides an interesting discussion point about how we are telling our clean energy story. Hear how the EDP team tackled challenges, refined their approach, and executed a project that will deliver clean energy for years to come, then let’s discover new ways to tell that story to the millions of Americans who still believe this is somehow not an economically viable path to our energy security.
NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:
“Renewables now are mainstream. We are no longer 1 to 2% of the energy mix. We are close to getting to 20% of the energy mix. That means also there is a huge amount of responsibility on our side, not just to provide green electrons, but also to ensure that we are doing the transition in the most equitable and just way.”
“There’s some core similarities, always gonna have permitting, always gonna have interconnection. Working with the communities is very critical, very important to our company, especially and making sure of your presence there, we’re here for the long term with our projects.”
“Field work is really where you build relationships with people, you can make as many calls as possible to neighbors and to council members and to landowners. But there’s nothing quite like seeing those folks in person, being able to shake their hand.”
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ABOUT THE HOST OF SUNCAST:
Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, consistently rated a top solar podcast in the clean energy sector. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.
Nico is an Investor, Executive Coach, and 16-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.
You can connect with Nico Johnson on Twitter, LinkedIn or email.
If you’ve been second-guessing your work decisions or maybe trying to reconsider how you "fit" in the renewable energy industry -> grab 15 minutes on Nico's calendar and discuss whether having him as Your personal coach might be the right next step.