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Solar power farm goes online in Person County, feeds Progress Energy

Solar is "on" in Person County

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ROXBORO, N.C. – A five-acre solar farm built by Durham-based Carolina Solar Energy in Person County is now online and feeding power to the grid of Progress Energy.

The complex is expected to produce 837,000 kilowatt-hours of energy in the first year, enough for some 60 households based on an average annual usage of 14,000 kilowatt hours.

Progress Energy is buying the power from Carolina Solar, which owns and operate the farm. The complex is located at the Person County Business and Industrial Center.

Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

Progress Energy is acquiring power from three solar farms, including one at SAS headquarters in Cary.

State law requires Progress and other utilities to begin producing power from renewable sources. Progress Energy is exploring solar, wind, biowaste and other options to produce power from renewable sources. By 2012, companies have to get 3.5 percent of all retail sales from so-called renewables. The requirement jumps to 12.5 percent by 2021.

Duke Energy is also involved in numerous solar and wind projects.

This version CORRECTS scientific terminology and units (from “megawatts of power a year” to “kilowatt-hours of energy in the first year”), solar farm capacity (from “847 M…” to “837,000 k…”) and household count (from “600” to “60”).

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