Duke Energy, which already provides some 600 megawatts of power through solar in North Carolina, is in the market for another 50 megawatts this year.
One megawatt on average equals enough power for 164 homes, according to the Solar Energy Industry Association.
Duke launched a request for proposal (RFP) for the additional power earlier this week. Projects should be two megawatts or larger and should be available or coming online in 2015-16, the Charlotte-based utility said.
The search follows a series of deals made by Duke, including an announcement last September calling for plans to invest $500 million in N.C. solar projects.
Duke recently announced plans to build a huge solar farm at Camp LeJeune.
The utility also agreed to invest as much as $225 million in REC Solar, a provider of solar-related services and technology.
The new search comes under a “Green Source Rider” approved by the N.C. Utilities Commission in 2013.
By law, Duke is required to reach certain requirements for providing a percentage of its power through sustainable energy sources such as solar.
“We explored multiple options with potential Green Source Rider-qualified customers over the past year, and in-state solar appears to be a good fit for meeting their needs,” said Duke Energy’s Rob Caldwell, senior vice president, Distributed Energy Resources. “We will work with these customers to identify the best projects at the most competitive price.”
Under the RFP, developers can contract to sell solar to Duke for up to 15 years or negotiate the sale of projects to Duke.
In addition to the current 600 megawatts, Duke has signed contracts to purchase 150 megawatts of power from five other solar farms.
