Hello there everyone, I’m a solar enthusiast and today I’m going to share some fantastic news about the solar industry in South Dakota!
It’s amazing to see how rapidly solar is gaining traction across the United States, and South Dakota is certainly not an exception. Despite its historical reliance on wind power, the state recently marked a major milestone in the solar sector with the activation of its first utility-scale solar facility, the Fall River Solar facility. This facility alone demonstrates the significant potential of solar array for home use and for utility-scale projects.
The Fall River Solar facility – an 80 MWac project – came online in September 2023, boosting solar electricity generation in South Dakota by a whopping 3,600% compared to 2022. Prior to this, South Dakota had just 6 MWac of solar capacity in total, mostly from small-scale distributed solar. That’s how much of an impact a single utility-scale solar company can make!
Throughout the year, it is estimated that Fall River will generate 189 GWh of electricity. Now recall, the state’s total electricity needs are largely met by wind power, contributing about 57.5% on average in 2022. But this new utility-scale solar array for homes and businesses contributes significantly to South Dakota’s clean-energy efforts, offering about 1.3% of the state’s electricity in its first full month of operation.
Keep your eyes peeled for more solar power developments as another solar enabling giant, Wild Springs Solar, is set to come online in April 2024. Once active, the 128 MWac facility will more than double the state’s solar capacity over the previous year. Moreover, this growth could substantially reduce the state’s remaining reliance on fossil fuels, further cementing solar’s role in South Dakota’s energy mix.
Unfortunately, the news isn’t all sunbeams. The potential for distributed solar – like solar panels for your home – appears limited in South Dakota. Several factors contribute to this, including the state’s electricity prices being at or below the national average and complex political decisions. But don’t lose hope: the success of utility-scale solar companies could give a much-needed boost to the distributed solar industry.
Lastly, I’d like to mention the fiscal impact that solar companies bring to the states they operate in. The Wild Springs Solar project, for example, is estimated to generate around $330,000 in tax revenue annually. These funds prove invaluable in supporting infrastructure and services in communities, showing that the benefits of solar go beyond just cleaner power and significant energy savings.
South Dakota’s solar surge is yet another exciting chapter in the broader story of solar’s potential in the United States. Whether you’re considering solar panels for your home or hoping to participate in a larger solar array project, keep an eye on developments in this exciting field. The sun is indeed rising for solar!
Stay connected for more updates about the world of solar, and feel free to ask any questions related to the topic. As always, here’s to a brighter, cleaner future powered by the sun!
Original Article: https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/01/26/south-dakota-solar-up-3600-in-2023-doubling-again-in-2024/
