• Exclusive Content
  • Events
  • Endeavor Business Media Energy
    1. Renewables

    Summit Ridge assigns Babcock & Wilcox $15M EPC deal to build five Illinois Community Solar Farms

    March 28, 2023
    Summit Ridge Energy and Babcock & Wilcox worked together fairly recently. The EPC contractor, which manages subcontractors, site coordination and electrical tie-ins to the grid once completed, was awarded $20-plus million last year to build seven projects
    Maryland solar project site. Image credit Summit Ridge Energy
    Maryland solar project site. Image credit Summit Ridge Energy

    The renewable energy wing of power infrastructure firm Babcock & Wilcox has been awarded more than $15 million in contracts to engineer, procure and construct (EPC) five community solar energy projects in Illinois.

    Developer Summit Ridge Energy contracted Babcock & Wilcox Solar Energy Inc. to lead EPC work on 15 MW in community solar installations. The solar farms are expected to be completed later this year.

    Community solar is considered a growing option compared to massive, utility-scale farms and individual rooftop and on-site projects. These are often subscriber solar options, with upfront costs handled by the developer, and avoid the potential rate increases of utility-scale or high personal expense of rooftop.

    “The market for community solar projects in the U.S. is growing substantially thanks to high demand for affordable, clean energy, as well as state and federal incentives for renewable energy, including for solar power,” said Joe Buckler, B&W Senior Vice President, Clean Energy. “In particular, the recently signed U.S. Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions for all types of solar projects, including community solar, that are driving increased interest in development.”

    Summit Ridge Energy and Babcock & Wilcox have worked together fairly recently. The EPC contractor, which manages subcontractors, site coordination and electrical tie-ins to the grid once completed, was awarded $20-plus million last year to build seven Illinois solar photovoltaic farms.

    “Solar projects like these are providing clean, reliable and affordable power to people across Illinois and the United States. As the market leader in Illinois, SRE is proud to continue shaping the state as a major clean energy market,” said Raj Soi, Executive Vice President of Operations, Summit Ridge Energy. “We’re excited to build on our strong relationship with B&W and support the state of Illinois as it leads the national energy transition.”

    About the Author

    EnergyTech Staff

    Rod Walton is senior editor for EnergyTech.com. He has spent 14 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist.

    Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    He can be reached at [email protected]. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids.

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.