DENSO, TVA break ground on new solar facility in Maryville
DENSO, a leading mobility supplier, and Nashville-based Silicon Ranch, one of the nation’s largest independent power producers, broke ground on November 2 on a new solar facility at DENSO’s Maryville location in a collaboration that also included the City of Maryville Electric Department and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
The new solar farm is the first of four solar production facilities the group plans to bring online in Tennessee.
When the solar projects are completed and coupled with additional energy conservation initiatives, 100 percent of the electrical needs for DENSO’s Maryville facility will be sourced from renewable energy. This will help the Maryville location support greater sustainability locally through its operations and across North America with its products.
Through collaboration with the City of Maryville Electric Department and Silicon Ranch, DENSO will access a portion of the total 10.5 megawatts of solar energy produced under TVA’s Generation Flexibility program, starting with the facility located on DENSO’s Maryville campus.
The TVA program enables participating local power companies to generate up to 5% of their total energy load to meet the renewable energy goals of their customers, attract sustainability-focused businesses to their communities, and solve individual challenges for their distribution systems.
“These solar farms are an incredible opportunity for us to bring renewable energy to our community from a trusted source,” said Baron Swafford, City of Maryville Public Utilities Director. “TVA’s Generation Flexibility Program allows us to combine the unique offerings of DENSO and Silicon Ranch to develop a sustainable power source for our communities and those around us in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.”
