Ameresco, Inc. selected as a second developer to enter lease negotiations for carbon pollution-free electricity generation project within the Savannah River Site as part of the Cleanup to Clean Energy Initiative.
Office of Environmental Management
July 18, 2024
minute read time
DOE selects second solar-powered project at Savannah River Site to achieve 100% carbon-pollution-free electricity usage by 2030, leading the effort in clean electricity generation on DOE-owned land to help reach the nation’s ambitious climate goals
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected a second developer, Ameresco, Inc., to enter lease negotiations for a carbon pollution-free electricity generation project within the 310-square-mile Savannah River Site (SRS) as part of the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative.
- Ameresco, Inc. will have the opportunity to negotiate a land lease to deploy 75 megawatts of carbon pollution-free electricity to the grid with the potential for a battery-energy storage system on at least 500 acres of land at SRS.
On June 20, the Office of Environmental Management (EM) announced the selection of Stellar Renewable Power, LLC to begin realty agreement negotiations for a commercial clean energy solar project at SRS.
President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 14057 in December 2021, which calls on agencies to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2030 and directs them to authorize use of their real property assets, including land for the development of new clean electricity generation and storage through leases, grants, permits or other mechanisms. Cleanup to Clean Energy will help achieve President Biden’s ambitious climate goals and the directive in Executive Order 14057 for agencies to use their properties for the development of new clean electricity generation. As the leading federal agency on clean energy research and development, DOE has both a unique opportunity and a clear responsibility to lead by example and identify creative solutions to achieve the president’s goal.
Since announcing the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative in July last year, DOE has issued five requests for qualifications to lease land at the SRS in South Carolina; Hanford Site in Washington; Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico; Nevada National Security Sites in Nevada; and Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho.
On June 4 and June 12, respectively, DOE announced the selection of developers for carbon pollution-free electricity projects in Idaho and Nevada.
The selected developers will enter lease negotiations with DOE for the development of the proposed photovoltaic project. Before leases are issued, DOE and the applicant will undergo a negotiation process.
DOE will continue to engage and partner with industry, tribal nations, communities, stakeholders, regulators and others to implement a process for further development of clean energy projects on DOE-owned land.
More information on Cleanup to Clean Energy can be found here.
To receive the latest news and updates about the Office of Environmental Management, submit your e-mail address.