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Chicago-based renewable energy provider Hecate Energy has selected Reston, Va.-based construction giant Bechtel to build Sunfish Solar 2, the first project at Hecate’s 1-gigawatt development in Calhoun County, Michigan, according to one September 11 announcement of the firm.
Consumers Energy, a residential energy company working with Hecate on the project, estimates the total installed capital cost of the Sunfish Solar 2 is $453 millionaccording to a document filed with the state of Michigan. The project will be built on 1,300 hectares, according to the statement.
When completed in 2026, Sunfish Solar 2 will be one of the largest solar facilities in the state, according to the release. It will generate enough energy to power about 183,500 Michigan homes and offset nearly 1.5 million tons of annual carbon dioxide emissions, the equivalent of taking more than 300,000 passenger vehicles off the road each year.
The announcement followed the high-profile presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on September 10, where Trump said he was “a big fan of solar energy” but also claimed that the amount of solar farm use on Earth it was an inconvenience.
Solar and clean energy stocks rose after the debate. According to CNBC, investors have been nervous that Trump will weaken or repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, which incentivizes solar investment, if Republicans sweep the White House and Congress, while the administration is expected to Harris leaves the law virtually unchanged.
Bechtel says Sunfish Solar 2 will play a crucial role in supporting Michigan’s commitment to generate half of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. Solar is growing across the country: in the first quarter of 2024 , US solar installations grew 79% year-over-year, up to aa record 11.8 gigawattsaccording to Reuters.
