In US, An Aerospace Manufacturing Hub Powered By Solar Micro Grid

Jackson County, West Virginia in the US saw the top executives of three companies on Saturday break ground on a project on more than 2,000 acres of land. BHE Renewables, a Berkshire Hathaway Energy business, is developing the property into a first-of-its-kind solar energy microgrid-powered industrial site. Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC), a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. business, will be the first company to locate on the site and will develop a state-of-the-art titanium melt facility. The new plant, which will operate under the PCC subsidiary Titanium Metals Corporation, Inc., (TIMET), will employ approximately 200 people and expects to use 100% renewable energy to manufacture titanium products for the aerospace and other industries.

To ensure access to solar energy even when the sun doesn’t shine, BHE Renewables has selected ONE – Our Next Energy, Inc. – as its partner for large-scale battery storage. BHE Renewables is purchasing the land, home to a shuttered aluminum plant, from the West Virginia Economic Development Authority and will work with the West Virginia Economic Development Authority to bring additional businesses to the site to benefit from the prime manufacturing location and renewable energy infrastructure.

“We’re proud to deliver this new sustainable energy solution for PCC, their customers and the people of Jackson County,” said BHE Renewables President and CEO Alicia Knapp. “Thanks to the collaboration with local, state and federal leaders, and our partnership with PCC and ONE, we are demonstrating how renewable energy can be a catalyst for economic growth and bring new manufacturing jobs to West Virginia, which is truly a great place to do business.” “As the global aerospace demand for titanium continues to increase, our new state-of-the-art facility will provide the capacity and capability to meet our customers’ needs for decades to come, utilizing renewable energy,” stated Steve Wright, president of PCC Metals Group. “We believe our partnerships with BHE Renewables, ONE and the state of West Virginia will greatly benefit the success of our next-generation, sustainable melt facility.”

In addition to the original $500 million investment being made on this project, ONE announced Saturday it will build a new Aries Grid factory on the site. The factory will bring an additional $22 million in investment to the project and generate 105 more jobs. Scheduled to open in 2025, the factory will build Aries Grid utility-scale battery storage systems using Michigan-made lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells.

“This Jackson County project represents a historic transition to renewable energy-based manufacturing in the U.S. and establishes a standard for others to follow,” said Mujeeb Ijaz, CEO and Founder of ONE.

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice credited the Inflation Reduction Act saying, “Today’s groundbreaking is recognition once again that West Virginia is a smart energy investment. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, BHE Renewables’ new industrial site in Jackson County will create hundreds of good-paying jobs right here in West Virginia that help reinvigorate American manufacturing, all while being powered by a first-of-its kind microgrid that will provide clean energy to the businesses located on the site.”

As a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, BHE Renewables has invested extensively in solar, wind, geothermal and hydro projects nationwide. BHE Renewables produces 5,168 megawatts of clean energy for both the wholesale market and for customers under long-term power purchase agreements.