ForeFront Power, the developer of commercial and industrial-scale (C&I) solar energy, battery storage and vehicle fleet electrification projects, has completed a 783 kW DC solar parking canopy for Rivian at its state-of-the-art EV manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois.

The project’s completion was covered by clean energy trade press, including PV Magazine, Solar Builder, Environment + Energy Leader, Smart Energy Decisions.

The solar canopy is equipped with Rivian EV chargers to make up the Rivian manufacturing plant’s outbound Solar Charging Yard.

Rivian commented: “We’ve flipped the switch on the Solar Charging Yard in Normal. It uses our Rivian DC Fleet System to charge 72 vehicles at once. We’re also working to install a 2.8 megawatt wind turbine, which means soon, R1 vehicles will get their first charge entirely from on-site renewables.”

The project is expected to generate 1.04 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean, renewable electricity annually, and our estimates show it will avoid emitting approximately 800 tons of CO2 per year.

Rivian’s Solar Charging Yard came online in September 2022. Together with the forthcoming wind turbine on the east side of the manufacturing plant, the Solar Charging Yard will help power new R1 vehicles completely with clean energy for their first charge, before they are delivered to Rivian customers.

“Rivian’s Solar Charging Yard project is a testament to the company’s climate and sustainability leadership, showing U.S. customers what a clean energy future looks like within the auto industry,” said Michael Smith, CEO of ForeFront Power

Rivian has signed the Climate Pledge to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement.