After the San Francisco-based corporation behind the initiative completed on a $533 million package to finance numerous projects in its portfolio, work on a massive solar production farm in Pointe Coupee Parish has begun. The 345-megawatt Ventress Solar plant, located at 13330 Ventress Road near New Roads, will provide renewable energy to McDonald’s and eBay, according to Lightsource bp.
The development was billed as Louisiana’s largest solar farm by Lightsource bp, a subsidiary of energy major BP. The company estimates that the project will generate 400 construction jobs and $30 million in additional tax income for Pointe Coupee over the next two years. It also forecasts that the renewable energy created will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 450,000 metric tonnes per year, or the equivalent of 99,000 gasoline-powered cars.
In a statement, Emma Cox, global renewable energy lead at McDonald’s, stated, “This unique relationship between Lightsource bp, eBay, and McDonald’s is an example of how huge companies can come together to make substantial change at a local level.” “We’re ecstatic to see our ideals manifest themselves in a project like Ventress Solar, and to take this critical next step toward its completion.”
The solar farm should be operational by late 2023 if estimates hold true. The plant’s long-term operator will be Lightsource bp. For the photovoltaic solar plant at the site, Lightsource bp chose LPL Solar as its engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor. The EPC for a substation and a switchyard will be Ampirical Solutions of Covington. As part of a 480-megawatt group of projects, Lightsource bp gathered $533 million in financing from six lenders. HSBC Bank USA, ING Capital LLC, Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A., NatWest, Societe Generale, and Standard Chartered Bank are among the investors.
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