The 1.2 GW Sunstone Solar Project in Oregon: Largest in the U.S.

Morrow County in Oregon will get the largest solar project in the US. The Sunstone Solar Project will use approximately 4 million PVs across 10,000 acres of land. Moreover, the project is expected to generate an estimated 1.2 GW of electricity. This will be supplied to approximately 800,000 households annually. Construction is set for 2026 under Pine Gate Renewables as the project manager. The procurement and engineering phases of the project are slated for early next year.

The final approval for the 1,200 MW solar project was awarded by the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC). This came after the project evaluation was done, and the public was consulted about the project and its prospects. The Umatilla Electric Cooperative system under the Bonneville Power Administration will oversee the connection of the solar project. It will also be connected to the state’s power grid. Alongside the solar project, Pine Gate Renewables will also see to the establishment of a 1,200 MW energy storage facility. The estimated cost and other stakeholders for the project (if any) have not yet been mentioned.

What the Sunstone Solar Project Means to the Locals

As with all infrastructural, energy, and industrial projects, Sunstone Solar project will also need to go through rigorous assessments and qualifications. Oregon has one of the strictest permitting processes in the US, something that is aimed to protect land in use by farmers. Like most projects that need to use valuable resources like land, the Sunstone Solar project will need to prove its viability and utility. With the recent approval of the energy project, Morrow County expected to see over $1,000 per acre in investments to support the local farmers. As per the initiative agreement, approximately $11m will be invested in the agriculture sector in Morrow County. This is expected to support the sustainability of wheat farming in the area in the long-term.

Pine Gate Renewables

Apart from the Sunstone solar project, the energy company already has over 15 other solar projects in Oregon. The solar project in Oregon is aimed at making the state reliant on green energy only by the year 2040. This is of course supplemented by other green energy project in the state that are also aimed at reducing the pollution from other sources of energy production. The Sunstone Solar project has been referred to as one of the many diverse energy solutions relied upon to avert the ever looming global climate crisis. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden remarked of the importance of the project, terming it as an “important federal investment.”

He also made it known that the Inflation Reduction Act made the whole project possible, stating, “… I will continue to advocate for tech-neutral solutions in our tax code that promote innovation and efficiency in Oregon and across the nation.” Some of Morrow residents have also been quoted expressing their optimism towards the project. One of the locals revered the project as a door for the locals to “benefit from the economic opportunities that the project will bring.”