CS Energy Completes Construction of Largest Solar Plant in New Jersey

CS Energy has announced that it has successfully completed the construction work on the largest solar plant in New Jersey.

CS Energy, LLC, a leading integrated energy firm that designs and builds optimised projects in the solar, storage and emerging energy industries, has announced that it has successfully completed the largest solar plant in New Jersey.

The project owner, Ben Moreell Solar Farm, LLC and Department of the Navy (DON) executed a lease for approximately 170 acres of underutilised land for the purpose of constructing a 28.5 MW ground-mount solar project located at Naval Weapons Station Earle (NWS Earle) in Tinton Falls.

CS Energy designed, procured and installed the power plant, creating a custom worksite that allowed for a streamlined construction process while still maintaining the base’s high-security standards. As in-kind consideration, CS Energy will install a separate behind the meter solar system that will connect directly to the NWS Earle utility grid, providing DON with renewable energy to support operations.

As part of the Navy’s energy resiliency initiative, the Ben Moreell Solar Farm on NWS Earle was established. Owned by Vitol Green Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of global energy and commodities company Vitol Holdings B.V., the solar project will be tied directly to the local utility grid. In case of emergency, and with further investment, the clean power plant can be modified to power the base, which has a combined workforce of more than 1,500 civilian, military and contractor personnel. 

“With close to 1 GW of solar capacity installed worldwide, CS Energy is a proven partner for delivering solar power projects that maximise use of the terrain while offering high levels of output,” said R. Andrew de Pass, Head of Renewables for Vitol Inc. “Their attention to safety, efficiency and customer service enabled us to deliver the NWS Earle project in record time.”

The Ben Morrell project contributes to New Jersey’s 2020 Energy Master Plan, which aims to garner 100 percent of its energy from renewable, carbon-neutral sources by 2050. The Energy Master Plan is the first of a series of monumental steps to ensure that the state generates and manages its energy supply in a way that is consistent with economic, climate, and societal demands.

“I’m proud of our team for once again safely complying with heightened military regulations and delivering a turnkey solar project,” said Matthew Skidmore, CEO of CS Energy. “We are honoured to help the US Navy, Vitol, and our home state of New Jersey increase their use of solar power.”