Kentucky Mining Site: 800-MW Solar Farm
- BrightNight, Rivian Automotive, and The Nature Conservancy team up to build 800-MW solar park on former coal mine in Kentucky. USD-1-billion project will enable over 450 million miles of renewable energy-powered driving annually and create open-source guide to consider conservation, climate, and community.
Last week, BrightNight, electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive, and The Nature Conservancy unveiled plans to build the largest renewable power project in Kentucky on formerly one of the largest coal mines in the US. Starfire Mine will become home to an 800-MW solar park that will require a USD-1-billion investment. BrightNight will also construct up to a 20-mile transmission line, allowing a further 1 GW of renewables capacity to be added in the area in the future. Rivian will buy 100 MW of power from Phase 1 under a PPA with BrightNight, which will be enough to power more than 450 million miles of driving for Rivian vehicles every year. The three companies collaborated to develop an open-source guide that considers conservation, climate, and community in project selection. The project is expected to start construction in 2025.
What Impact Will the Starfire Mine Solar Park Have?
- The Starfire Mine Solar Park is expected to spur economic development in the area, creating hundreds of jobs in construction and operation, as well as stimulating the local hospitality and tourism industries.
- The solar park is projected to generate around 4,500,000 MWh of electricity over 20 years, enough energy to power approximately 200,000 homes annually.
- The project is expected to reduce Kentucky's carbon emissions by 1.2 million metric tons annually, equivalent to taking 250,000 cars off the roads.
- The project's land conservation efforts will help protect hundreds of acres of wildlife habitat, including many species of birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
- The project is expected to have a positive impact on local communities by providing taxes and other financial benefits to the counties where it is located.
