Duke Energy is adding solar power to its commercial renewable energy portfolio through the acquisition of a large-scale solar PV project under development in San Antonio, Texas.

Duke Energy's renewable energy arm, Duke Energy Generation Services (DEGS), will purchase the 14 MW (16 MW DC) Blue Wing Solar Project from juwi solar.

The 139-acre project will consist of 214,500 ground-mounted First Solar thin film panels, and along with the acquisition comes a 30-year power purchase agreement with San Antonio-based CPS Energy.

Construction will follow the close of the acquisition, which is expected in Q1 2010. The project is expected to be completed and energized by Q4 2010. No other terms were disclosed.

And for the record, Duke Energy already owns and operates 733 MW of commercial wind power generation – a figure that will rise to nearly 1,000 MW by the end of 2010.

[source: Duke Energy]