About Solar Energy

Solar Energy’s Success

According to American Clean Power, by 2022, the solar industry employed nearly 253,000 Americans across all 50 states. Utility scale solar has a capacity of over 80GW nationwide, enough to power 18 million homes while remaining the 3rd largest source of renewable energy to date.

How Solar Works

Solar panels capture the natural power of the sun and convert it into electricity. Solar photovoltaic cells were invented in 1954 and were deployed on a small scale for homes and businesses as a solution during the energy crisis of the 1970s. Since that time, panel efficiency has increased with improved technology, and costs have decreased rapidly, making solar power a viable utility-scale solution for today’s energy demand.

Invenergy is dedicated to implementing innovative solar technology at its facilities to generate efficient and reliable solar power. By deploying the most advanced solar technology, Invenergy maximizes the efficiency of our projects, while promoting responsible stewardship of the land that hosts the panels.

These technologies include bifacial modules and solar tracking panels. Bifacial modules capture sunlight on both sides of the panel, taking advantage of light reflecting off the ground. Solar tracking panels adjust their tilt so that they follow the sun throughout the day, maximizing their energy production.

Low Cost Solar

Solar power saves consumers money. Adding solar energy to the generation mix reduces electricity prices, helps protect against future price shocks, and makes the energy market more competitive.

In today’s changing energy landscape, energy security is more critical than ever. This has placed an emphasis on the need for more locally produced energy resources, and the lowest-cost option is renewables.

After all, there is nothing more predictable and reliable than the sun rising every day. Conveniently, this is also when our energy demands are the highest. This means that solar energy generation peaks when we need it most at a low cost, making it an important factor in our energy mix.

Environmental Benefits

Solar energy is a clean technology that does not produce harmful emissions. According to ACP in 2022, national solar and wind power avoided approximately 426 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the carbon reduction of 20 billion trees planted. That same year, Invenergy’s clean energy portfolio (including over 6,000 megawatts of solar power) generated enough clean energy equivalent to the carbon reduction of 766 million trees planted.

Invenergy is dedicated to being a responsible developer by ensuring regulatory compliance and ethical practices across project development and operations.

Additionally, Invenergy’s in-house Environmental Compliance and Strategy team are subject matter experts in natural resource management, federal lands, policy and permitting, and vegetation management. This team consults on every project throughout its lifespan. We also work with appropriate staff at the local, state, and federal levels to ensure regulations are followed throughout all phases of the project.

Solar Vegetation Management

Each solar site that Invenergy develops will have a specialized vegetation management plan. Varying by geographic regions and site-specific conditions, Invenergy will implement native plants and grasses within the project area. This means that the topsoil will be protected and even improved during the project’s lifespan. This will also minimize soil erosion, sediment runoff, and the proliferation of weeds ensuring the land remains healthy.

Additional Resources

Additional Solar Energy Resources

Solar Energy Industries Association