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BP starts construction on Ohio solar power facility

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BP said Tuesday that construction began in a solar power facility in Ohio that would boast enough power to meet the equivalent demand of 20,000 average homes. Photo courtesy of BP

BP said Tuesday that construction began in a solar power facility in Ohio that would boast enough power to meet the equivalent demand of 20,000 average homes. Photo courtesy of BP

Jan. 10 (UPI) — British energy company BP announced Tuesday that it started construction on a solar power facility in Ohio that could eventually provide enough clean energy to meet the equivalent demand of nearly 20,000 average households.

BP, working through a 50-50 joint venture with solar power company Lightsource, announced that work began on the 134-megawatt Arche Solar project in rural Ohio, near the border with Michigan.

The power would be offered to Meta, the parent company of Facebook, under the terms of a power-purchase agreement.

“We appreciate BP’s partnership in helping keep our commitment to supporting our global operations with 100% renewable energy,” said Urvi Parekh, the head of renewable energy at Meta. “In addition to adding new energy to the grid, we are proud that this project will bring additional jobs and investment to Ohio.”

The project is expected to funnel some $30 million to public coffers and create 200 new jobs during the construction phase. Solar panels slated for the facility will come from U.S.-based manufacturers, catering to President Joe Biden’s desire to build a homegrown renewable energy sector.

Ohio, however, is far behind when it comes to renewable energy. Federal data show renewable energy accounted for only 2.7% of the utility-scale power last year, compared with around 18% for the national average.

The trend is improving, however, as major economies move away from fossil fuels. The Biden administration is pursuing policies meant to usher in a net-zero emissions economy by 2050, while BP itself set a goal of developing 50 gigawatts of renewable energy to its portfolio by the end of the decade.

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