South Bend, IN – November 2, 2022 – Inovateus Solar has been awarded the prime EPC contract to build a 28 MW solar array on over 230 acres against the backdrop of the historic Cincinnati Zoo in Lebanon, Ohio. The project was initially developed by Melink Solar Development and Soltage, LLC and is owned by Harrison Street, one of the leading investment management firms exclusively focused on alternative real
assets.
John Jackson, SVP & COO of Inovateus notes that the Cincinnati Zoo Solar project will accelerate clean energy production in Ohio and provide more than one hundred local construction jobs over a 12- to 14-month period. The project will use 52,000 VSUN 540W bifacial panels, Solectria inverters, and FTC tracking systems.
“The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has been working behind the scenes for over a decade to be able to leverage a portion of our farm property for a significant solar array. We are excited to finally see this dream come to fruition, furthering our commitment to clean, renewable energy. This project is a win for our community, our partners, and our environment,” said Mark Fisher, Vice President at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
Timothy Sutherland, the Executive Chairman of Inovateus Solar commented: “The Cincinnati Zoo project, like our projects at the University of Illinois and Michigan State University, fits nicely into our strategic objective to help cities and universities transition to sustainable power. The Cincinnati Zoo touches so many young people and provides a fantastic opportunity to integrate the message of protecting animal habitats and our greater habituate for humanity.”
Carolyn Arida, Managing Director and Head of Utilities for Harrison Street, added, “We are thrilled to partner with Inovateus, whose goals are aligned with Harrison Street’s mission of supporting universities, health systems, and municipalities in their sustainability goals through our social infrastructure strategy. The Cincinnati Zoo Solar project is critical to advancing decarbonization in Ohio and bringing substantial new jobs to the region.”
Harrison Street is among the most active investors in alternative real asset sectors—including solar and clean energy infrastructure. Since 2018, Harrison Street has committed $1.2 billion in equity across investments in wind, solar and hydroelectric projects, and the firm’s renewable energy portfolio features over 1 GW of installed capacity.
ABOUT INOVATEUS SOLAR
Inovateus Solar is a leading solar development, finance firm with a known and trusted,
EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) and supply company in the Midwest
United States. Headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, the company has over 500 MW
of utility, commercial, industrial, and education sector solar PV projects built and over
2GW under development in the U.S. With strong roots in the communities it serves,
Inovateus is passionately committed to investing in the energy future of clients through
the wide-scale deployment of solar and clean energy technologies.
ABOUT HARRISON STREET
Harrison Street is one of the leading investment management firms exclusively focused on alternative real assets. Since its inception in 2005, the firm has created a series of differentiated investment solutions focused on demographic-driven, needs-based assets. The firm has invested across senior housing, student housing, healthcare delivery, life sciences and storage real estate as well as social and utility infrastructure.
Headquartered in Chicago with offices in London, Toronto, San Francisco, and Washington DC, the firm has more than 220 employees and approximately $50 billion in assets under management. Clients of the firm include a global institutional investor base domiciled in North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Latin America. Harrison Street was awarded Best Places to Work by Pensions & Investments for seven
consecutive years (2014-2020) and was recognized by PERE as the 2021 Alternatives Investor of the Year, North America, and 2020 Global Alternatives Investor of the Year.
For more information, please visit www.harrisonst.com.
For all media inquiries, contact:
Cidney Fulton
Cidney.fulton@inovateus.com
