Onyx Renewables completed a 5.7 MW solar project that is expected to fulfill 85% of electricity demand at Toyota Boshoku America’s (TBA) Illinois manufacturing plant. The company develops and produces interior, filtration and powertrain components for automotive manufacturers.
TBA invested in solar to stabilize energy costs and contribute to the company’s broader sustainability goals. Initially, TBA chose Sol Systems to design and develop the project. The project was then acquired by Onyx Renewables. TBA signed a power purchase agreement with Onyx “without any upfront capital investment,” it said.
The ground mount array is located on 17 acres of land adjacent to the company’s manufacturing facility. The project includes 590 W Hanwha Qcells solar modules mounted on a single-axis tracker from Array Technologies. It also includes Chint Power Systems inverters. The solar array is expected to generate more than 9.5 million kWh of electricity in its first year, Onyx reported. Nelnet Renewable Energy is the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner.
Onyx said it worked with Nelnet to prioritize workforce development and environmental stewardship by allocating at least 15% of project labor for qualified apprentices and paying prevailing wages.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes a myriad of incentives including the production tax credit, investment tax credit, energy community adder, and more. In order to take advantage of these; however, solar developers must meet specific guidelines as far as pay, number of apprentices employed and ratio of workers who come from qualified apprenticeship programs.
(Read: “Final guidance released on IRA’s prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements”)
The project also received additional federal tax credits as it is in a designated energy community due to the area’s unemployment and fossil fuel employment numbers compared to the national average. Projects in energy communities can qualify for the production and investment tax credit bonuses available within the IRA. Tax adders are offered for projects within these designated communities that are expected to face challenges in the transition away from fossil fuels.
(Read: “IRS releases updated guidance on energy communities”)
Sol Systems committed to planting a pollinator-friendly habitat around the system, and when Onyx acquired the project, it partnered with a local environmental consultant to design and implement a series of plantings in and around the PV system. The seed mix selected consists of several pollinator species that are local to Illinois and recognized by the Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources, Onyx told pv magazine USA.
“This project is a testament to what’s possible when manufacturers, clean energy developers, and local communities work together toward shared goals,” said Anna Toenjes, associate vice president of impact & business development at Sol Systems.
The 5.7 MW solar installation is TBA’s largest onsite to date, and a big step toward the company’s net-zero goal.
“This project reflects our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and our dedication to supporting the communities where we operate. It is also a significant step towards our goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Ryan Hunt, Vice President of TBA. “We’re proud to partner with companies like Onyx, Sol Systems, and Nelnet to bring clean, reliable energy to Lawrenceville.”
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