The photovoltaic solar energy system, located on about 10 acres at the site of Progress Energy's Sutton Plant near Wilmington, was financed, built, and is owned and operated by SunEdison, North America's largest solar energy services provider.

Progress Energy will purchase electricity from SunEdison under a 20-year solar power agreement and will add it to the mix of resources used to meet the needs of 1.4 million households and businesses in the Carolinas. Progress Energy also purchases renewable energy credits from SunEdison.

This is the first project for SunEdison and Progress Energy. In December, a 1-MW solar array built by software company SAS on its Cary, N.C., campus began producing electricity. A third megawatt-sized facility is expected to come online in Western North Carolina this year.

That facility also will sell energy to Progress Energy for distribution to customers. Progress Energy is evaluating additional solar proposals in North Carolina and expects to move forward with new contracts this year.

"Solar energy is a growing part of our company's balanced strategy for meeting the needs of our customers," said Lloyd Yates, CEO and president of Progress Energy Carolinas.

"We will continue to pursue cost-effective renewable energy investments in meeting state goals and objectives. Hand in hand with the increased investment in alternative energy sources is our aggressive promotion of energy efficiency, as well as our commitment to ensure that we have state-of-the-art power plants and infrastructure. We're focused on innovation, while ensuring that the electric service our customers depend on remains reliable, affordable and environmentally sound."

"Progress Energy is taking a strong leadership position in the utility industry. Through action and stewardship, Progress is showing that incorporating solar into an existing utility portfolio can be done quickly and without any upfront capital costs. SunEdison is proud to support Progress as we continue to develop solutions that help utilities meet regulatory requirements and meet customers' desire for clean solar electricity," said Kirk Roller, Vice President, SunEdison.

SunEdison proposed the Wilmington solar PV project in response to Progress Energy's request for renewable energy proposals. The open-ended request is part of Progress Energy's plan to meet the requirements of North Carolina's energy law, passed in 2007.

The law established a renewable and energy-efficiency portfolio standard, which requires utilities to provide a portion of their energy sales using renewable energy sources and energy efficiency.

For Progress Energy, that portion grows from 3 percent of total energy sales in 2012 to 12.5 percent in 2021. For solar-generated energy, the requirement begins in 2010.

A PV array is a collection of solar cells, each consisting of two thin layers of semi-conducting material (silicon) that generate electricity when exposed to sunlight.

Progress Energy Carolinas is evaluating additional renewable energy projects (solar, wind and biomass), as well as potential opportunities and an expanded role for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and other energy technologies.

Progress Energy's Sutton Plant, which includes 659 megawatts of electric generating capability, is an integral part of the company's system for meeting the needs of its customers throughout eastern North Carolina.

In addition to solar power, the electricity Progress Energy generates and purchases on behalf of its customers comes from nuclear plants as well as generation fueled by coal, oil and natural gas, and hydroelectric plants.

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