(Credit: Canva Pro)Toyota Motor North America recently partnered with renewable energy company Savion to develop the Martin County Solar Project on the site of a former coal mine in Kentucky. The agreement involves Toyota offtaking 100 megawatts of electricity generated from Savion's solar project which is transforming the old mine into a solar energy facility. This partnership intends to revitalize former coal and energy communities while also diminishing Toyota’s carbon footprint.
The Martin County Solar Project transforms the abandoned Martiki Coal Mine, a site situated on the Kentucky-West Virginia border. The coal mine, once active, closed down in the 1990s, and now, it is a prime location to repurpose the mine and harness the power of the sun.
The installation of solar photovoltaic panels will generate clean and sustainable electricity. Construction for the project is set to commence in mid-2023, with commercial operation expected by 2024.
David Absher, senior manager of environmental sustainability at Toyota Motor North America, said the significance of the Martin County Solar Project as a testament to revitalizing former coal and energy communities. Toyota’s largest vehicle manufacturing plant is located in Kentucky and sets the company on a trajectory to repurpose abandoned coal mines across the region.
The 100 MW of electricity Toyota will offtake from the Martin County Solar Project will play a vital role in Toyota achieving carbon neutrality across all its operations in the region by 2035.
Savion is developing the Martin County Solar Project with the support of local development partner Edelen Renewables. With dedicated support from state officials and local leadership, the project's development phase continues to advance. Once completed, the Martin County Solar Project is poised to become one of Kentucky's largest solar energy generation facilities.
Toyota's partnership with Savion in the transformation of the Martin County Solar Project holds the potential to revitalize former energy communities.
