Solar Project Approved for South Bend

Indianapolis-based Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives Inc. (Nasdaq: IEA) has announced a 20-megawatt solar project award in Indiana. IEA subsidiary, White Construction, secured the project, which includes building the South Bend Photovoltaic facility on a 200-acre site that is expected to use nearly 60,000 modules.

The new facility will more than double electricity production from solar resources in the region. The University of Notre Dame will support 40 percent of the facility’s renewable attributes in the hopes of reducing carbon emissions.

IEA will design and build the entire project, including roads, fencing and electrical collection. Indiana Michigan Power will be the lead developer.

“There is tremendous growth expected for the solar industry over the next few years, with nearly 3% of homes in the U.S. predicted to be powered by solar by 2024,” said Chris Hanson, IEA’s Executive Vice President of Renewable Energy. “IEA remains committed to expanding the use of reliable and efficient solar energy across the nation. We are very pleased to be able partner with AEP on this exciting solar project to bring additional renewable energy capacity to our home state of Indiana.”

 The entire project is set to be fully operational by December 2020.