US renewables developer Swift Current Energy has brought its 593MWac/800MWdc Double Black Diamond Solar project online in Illinois.
The milestone was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the company announced on Wednesday.
Located approximately 30 miles west of Springfield, Double Black Diamond is now the largest solar installation east of the Mississippi River.
The project features 1.6m solar modules supplied by First Solar – most of which were manufactured in Ohio – and tracking systems from Nextracker.
According to Swift Current Energy, the solar farm is expected to generate enough electricity annually to meet the needs of about 100,000 households.
Double Black Diamond has attracted notable backing, including tax equity investment from Google. Its output will serve a mix of public and private customers.
Through agreements with Constellation NewEnergy Inc., the City of Chicago and seven additional buyers have contracted to purchase power from the site.
The City of Chicago is sourcing approximately 70% of its municipal electricity from the solar farm. This includes power for major facilities such as O’Hare and Midway airports.
“Double Black Diamond is a landmark project for the Midwest and a key part of our commitment to clean energy,” Swift Current Energy said.
Development of the project began in 2018. Construction financing was provided by a group of lenders led by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), Societe Generale, Truist, and eight others.
McCarthy Building Companies Inc served as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor.
[Image caption: Swift Current Energy’s ribbon cutting ceremony. Image credit: Swift Current Energy]
