A UK-based independent power producer (IPP) has acquired solar power projects in Virginia and Colorado, both secured with utility power purchase agreements. ContourGlobal, headquartered in London, on Jan. 21 announced the acquisition of the two solar farms, one nearing commercial operation and the other still under construction.
ContourGlobal acquired the projects from Qcells, a South Korean company with its U.S. headquarters in California and manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Malaysia, and South Korea. The two solar arrays in the deal together have 446 MW of generation capacity. Each installation features solar modules made at Qcells’ factories in Dalton and Cartersville, Georgia. Qcells is responsible for construction of both facilities.
The transaction expands ContourGlobal’s planned solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity in the U.S. to almost 1.5 GW. That figure includes more than 1 GW of recently acquired projects in late development stage located in South Carolina and Arizona.
“This transaction allows us to maintain momentum in our U.S. renewable growth, nearing 1.2 GW of solar PV capacity complemented with additional 0.3 GW of BESS capacity, in construction or late development,” said Antonio Cammisecra, CEO of ContourGlobal. “It also meaningfully accelerates the start of our commercial operations to the first half of this year. We are proud of this milestone and delighted that our partnership with Qcells will also enable us to integrate their U.S.-produced solar technology into these acquired projects.”
The Colorado solar farm is a 324-MW facility under construction. The Virginia project, a planned 122-MW installation, is expected to begin construction in 2026.
IP Kim, president of Qcells’ global energy group, said, “We are proud to support ContourGlobal’s U.S. expansion. This transaction showcases Qcells’ differentiated capabilities as a ‘total energy solutions provider’ to bring projects from development into operations. We are excited to explore other opportunities where Qcells’ full suite of capabilities can deliver value to partners like ContourGlobal.”
The Colorado project, located in Fort Collins in the northern part of the state, will provide electricity to Platte River Power Authority, a community-owned public power generation and transmission group. It has a 22-year PPA and includes two phases; the first is a 185-MW plant slated to enter commercial operation by mid-year. The second phase will add 139 MW of capacity in the next year.
The Virginia project is expected to begin commercial operation in 2027. It has a 20-year PPA and will provide power to what was called “an investment grade investor-owned utility” in the PJM territory.
Qcells’ since 2019 has built 5.1 GW of solar power manufacturing capacity in the U.S., with plans to add another 3.3 GW.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
