Biotechnology firm Valent BioSciences announced that the 1.5-MW alternating current solar field at its manufacturing facility in Osage, Iowa is now completely operational.
The announcement follows several weeks of testing to confirm that the solar field is functioning as expected. The facility is estimated to produce around 3.4 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of solar-generated electricity per year, equivalent to the amount of power consumed by about 425 average-sized households annually.
Construction work on the solar field began in August. A total of 3,432 bifacial solar panels have been installed at the facility. According to the company, the panels can generate power from both sides and track the sun from east to west.
The solar field is located on the 12 acres of Valent’s land adjacent to its manufacturing facility and adjoining 34 acres of native prairie that it began reconstructing earlier this year. Valent worked with Heartland Power Cooperative and solar energy company OneEnergy Renewables on this project.
“The solar field and prairie reconstruction work expand our sustainability activities at the manufacturing site,” said Brian Lynch, Valent BioSciences’ Osage Facility Manager. “These two projects together will eliminate 2,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the environment annually.”
Libertyville, Ill.-based Valent Biosciences is a subsidiary of Tokyo's Sumitomo Chemcal Co. It produces agricultural products such as biostimulants for crop growth.
