Duke Energy Indiana, Toray Resin Company commence operation of solar facility

• The new facility is capable of generating up to 900 kilowatts of electricity to help power Toray Resin's Shelbyville manufacturing operations
• Solar project is the first in Duke Energy's pilot program to make it easier for businesses, schools and nonprofits to incorporate clean, renewable energy

PLAINFIELD, Ind., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy Indiana's solar energy facility at Toray Resin Company's Shelbyville campus is now in service. The new facility is capable of generating up to 900 kilowatts of electricity to help power the plastics manufacturer's operations while offsetting carbon emissions.

The solar project is the first to come from a Duke Energy pilot program that aims to make it easier for businesses, schools and nonprofits to incorporate clean, renewable energy sources into their energy mix.

"We're excited to partner with Toray Resin on this renewable energy venture," said Stan Pinegar, president of Duke Energy Indiana. "This unique leasing arrangement will help power the company's manufacturing operations in a sustainable and cost-effective way, while also demonstrating how our neighbors, businesses and communities can come together to make meaningful progress toward a cleaner energy future."  

Under the program, Duke Energy will own, operate and maintain the Blue River Solar Facility on Toray Resin's Shelbyville campus for a monthly service fee. The program provides Toray Resin with the advantages of clean energy to help power their operations, while minimizing upfront costs and maintenance obligations.

"Toray Resin Company and our parent, Toray Industries, intend to be a leader in the future use of renewable energy by jointly developing affordable, reliable and cleaner energy," said Dennis Godwin, president of Toray Resin Company. "This joint agreement with Duke Energy Indiana further advances Toray's commitment to reduce our carbon footprint by investing in renewable power solutions like solar that are reliable, scalable, cost-efficient, sustainable and directly support our core business strategy."

Construction on the 8-acre, ground-mounted solar project began in October 2021 and was completed in late August 2022. The facility consists of 2,487 solar panels that are each 6 feet tall, 3-1/2 feet wide, and 1-1/2 inches thick. The solar array is located on the east side of Toray Resin's campus, between Mausoleum Road and Boomer Way.

Under Duke Energy's solar services pilot program, eligible Indiana customers can lease an on-site solar system for a period of up to 20 years. Duke Energy installs, operates, owns and maintains the system, while customers receive all of the kilowatt-hour (kWh) and solar renewable energy credit (SREC) output. Initial program capacity is limited to a total of 10 megawatts (MW) for eligible commercial and industrial customers within the Duke Energy Indiana service territory.

Duke Energy Indiana

Duke Energy Indiana, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, provides about 6,300 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 870,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it Indiana's largest electric supplier.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 28,000 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business and at least a 50% carbon reduction from electric generation by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The 2050 net-zero goals also include Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 emissions. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2022 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "America's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: McKenzie Barbknecht
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SOURCE Duke Energy