Global automotive components manufacturer DENSO, along with the City of Maryville, Silicon Ranch, and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), has installed a 12.82-acre solar array at its Tennessee plant, kickstarting its efforts to generate clean energy for the company’s operations and support the local power grid.
The project partners broke ground on the solar farm in November 2022, finishing construction this summer. The new facility is expected to produce up to approximately 3,400 MWh per year, through its over 4,000 state-of-the-art solar panels.
The milestone marks the first of three solar energy production facilities the group plans to bring online in Blount County, Tennessee. The second facility is scheduled to come online by December 2025, with the third coming online in the second quarter of 2026.
DENSO will also source solar energy from a fourth Silicon Ranch facility through TVA’s Green Invest program, which offers businesses a timely and cost-effective solution to help meet sustainability goals.
DENSO will leverage each of the facilities to source all the electrical needs of DENSO’s Tennessee location.
“This activity shows how we don’t only strive to be green through our products, but also through our operations and energy use,” said Chuntao Ye, President of DMTN and Business Leader of the DENSO North America Peace of Mind Business Group, in a statement. “We appreciate the City of Maryville, Silicon Ranch and TVA for sharing this commitment with us and look forward to continuing to work together to advance renewable energy in East Tennessee. This only builds upon our 35-year history of working with local partners to give back to our neighbors in Maryville and surrounding communities.”
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