Ribbon-cutting ceremonies celebrate both endings and beginnings. In terms of endings, our April 12 ribbon cutting marked the commissioning of Kokomo Solar 1, one of the largest solar arrays in Indiana. Perhaps more importantly, this ribbon cutting demonstrated how Midwestern communities have begun to move away from the region’s traditional fossil fuel generation mix to clean energy, building a brilliant tomorrow for local residents and the world.
The event at the Kokomo Solar 1 facility was attended by Inovateus’ project partners as well as federal, state and local officials. Located on the former site of the Continental Steel factory, the 7.1 MWDC photovoltaic power plant has actually been commercially operational since December 29, and has been steadily generating the initial grid-ready electrons of its expected annual output of 9.1 million kilowatt-hours for Duke Energy Indiana.
[/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type=”none” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”” top_margin=”10px” bottom_margin=”10px” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” /][fusion_fusionslider name=”kokomo-solar-1-ribbon-cutting” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” /][fusion_separator style_type=”none” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”” top_margin=”10px” bottom_margin=”10px” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” /][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”default” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=””]The event received coverage in the Kokomo Tribune and other local media, and was also the subject of a U.S. Environmental Case Study. During the preceding months, Inovateus also posted a pair of blogs offering details about the site’s history, the project’s genesis, and the ultimate development and installation of the arrays.
After the ceremony at the 26-acre solar park, a reception for the dignitaries and other attendees was held at the Kokomo Chamber of Commerce, followed by an open public presentation about the project.
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ layout=”1_2″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_youtube id=”https://youtu.be/O41n9gHWUQA” width=”” height=”” autoplay=”false” api_params=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” /][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ layout=”1_2″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_youtube id=”https://youtu.be/_mwEZxqyGp0″ width=”” height=”” autoplay=”false” api_params=”&rel=0, &loop=1″ hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” /][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_text]We’d like to thank our partners Alterra Energy and 1st Source Bank (finance), Heartland Construction (EPC), the city of Kokomo (land owner), Duke Energy (utility), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and last but not least, Chris and Cindy Rohaly of Green Alternatives Inc., who brought the project opportunity to our attention three years ago. We’d also like to recognize our main component suppliers: Suniva (modules), Ingeteam (inverters), Schletter (racking), Shoals (combiner boxes) and Draker (monitoring).
In honor of the occasion, we hope you enjoy and share this collection of photos and videos that we’ve put together from this energy transition moment as well as some aerial drone and ground-level photos of the power plant itself.
By Mauricio Anon, brand ambassador, Inovateus Solar
