WINNER SOLAR PROJECT PROFILE
Apex Clean Energy of Charlottesville, Virginia is developing Winner Solar, a 120 MW facility that is expected to generate enough energy to power up to 23,000 homes. Situated in Clinton County, the location is highly suitable for a solar energy project and will connect to an existing transmission line that traverses the site.
Apex Clean Energy is an independent renewable energy company based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Apex was founded in 2009 with a singular focus: to accelerate the shift to clean energy. We develop, construct, own, and operate solar, wind, and energy storage facilities across the country. We’ve grown from humble beginnings as an American small business to a mission-driven team of more than 400 professionals.
Apex has completed over 6,000 MW of projects that are either under construction or in operation—that’s enough energy to power over 2 million American homes annually. Our partners have included major utilities, large corporations like Steelcase McDonald’s, Google, and IKEA, to name a few, and even the U.S. Army and Department of Defense.
A Clean Economic Opportunity for Clinton County
Winner Solar offers a new source of economic development with long-term local and state tax revenue for schools, government services, and public infrastructure. The power from Winner Solar will be delivered into the local electrical grid, helping to diversify Pennsylvania’s energy portfolio. Solar power is one of the most cost-effective sources of electricity available today, and its ability to generate power at peak times helps reduce electricity costs for all consumers. In addition to the jobs directly and indirectly created during the construction and operation of Winner Solar, this project also creates opportunities for companies with renewable energy goals to expand into Clinton County, as they seek to open new locations in areas with access to renewable power.
Local Economic Benefits
- Long term lease payments to local landowners
- An estimated $683,000 annual economic output for Clinton County over the life of the 40 year life of project
- Create 4 long term jobs during commercial operations for a total of $240,000 in annual labor income.
- Over the life of the project Winner Solar could generate approximately $1.2 million in cumulative local taxes for the county, township and school district which would be more than three-fold increase over the current revenue.
- During peak construction the project will create over 175 jobs either directly or indirectly which will be equal to $27 million in economic output for Clinton County.
- Prefunded decommissioning bond to protect taxpayers against decommissioning costs
- Additional information on the local economic impact of this project available here.