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Duke Energy is growing it solar footprint, thanks to a partnership with technology giant Amazon.com.
Duke Energy and Amazon recently wrapped construction on a 5,600-panel solar project that sits atop Amazon's massive air hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The project, according to a news release, will provide energy for more than 400 businesses and homes within Northern Kentucky.
As part of the partnership, Duke Energy owns and operates the facility, while Amazon leases its 800,000-square-foot rooftop to the energy firm free of charge.
Final costs for the project were not yet available, but initial cost estimates pegged the project as a $4 million investment, according to a Duke Energy spokesperson.
“Duke Energy Kentucky has gained a great deal of experience in owning and operating ground-mounted solar since 2017," Amy Spiller, Duke Energy's president for Ohio and Kentucky, said in a statement. "Located in one of the fastest-growing counties in the commonwealth, this new rooftop solar site will complement our emerging solar portfolio in the Bluegrass State."
The project ranks as the largest rooftop solar array in Kentucky, the release states. It also ranks as one of the region's largest solar facilities, trailing the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens, which installed a 6,400-panel project on its Vine Street parking lot in 2011, as well as Duke's other local plants.
Duke currently operates three additional solar facilities in Kenton and Grant counties. Its Walton plants have a combined 19,000 panels, while its Crittenden location has more than 12,000 panels.
“As Amazon moves to power our operations with 100% renewable energy, we’re proud to support new solar and wind projects in Kentucky and across the Southeast, where local communities and our customers can also benefit from them," Chris Roe, Amazon's director of energy and sustainable operations, said in a statement. "These projects are helping provide clean energy to local grids, create jobs, support local businesses and farmers, and boost the rural tax base, which are all part of Amazon’s broader commitment to become a more sustainable company."