The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced plans to negotiate with Hecate Energy, LLC for a solar project capable of delivering up to one gigawatt of clean energy on an 8,000-acre area at the Hanford Site in Washington State. This initiative is part of the DOE's Cleanup to Clean Energy project, which aims to repurpose parts of DOE-owned lands previously used in the nuclear weapons program to support America's clean energy economy.
“Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, we’ve added nearly 90 gigawatts of solar capacity to the grid—enough to power roughly 13 million homes—and we're building on this historic progress with another massive solar project," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “With today's announcement, DOE is transforming thousands of acres of land at our Hanford site into a thriving center of carbon-free solar power generation, leading by example in cleaning up our environment and delivering new economic opportunities to local communities.”
Brenda Mallory, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, stated: “Through today’s announcement by the Department of Energy, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to lead by example on building a clean energy economy and carbon pollution-free future. Expanding clean energy generation creates good-paying jobs, protects the environment, and supports healthier communities across the country.”
The DOE will work with various entities including industry partners, other federal agencies, tribes, and state and local officials through its Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative. This effort aligns with President Biden’s climate goals as outlined in Executive Order 14057 and aims for federal properties to contribute significantly to new clean electricity generation.
Hecate Energy will have the opportunity to negotiate a realty agreement for developing a gigawatt-scale solar photovoltaic system with battery storage at Hanford. The selection process included public comments from August 2023 and an information day at Hanford in September 2023. The final decision was made following a request for qualifications issued in March 2024.
President Biden signed Executive Order 14057 in December 2021, mandating agencies achieve 100% clean electricity by 2030 using their real property assets for developing new clean electricity generation.
Since launching Cleanup to Clean Energy in July 2023, DOE has selected developers for similar projects in Idaho, Nevada, South Carolina, and now Washington State. The region housing Hanford Site is poised to become a hub for carbon-free power solutions.
This project aims not only to support national clean energy goals but also potentially benefit local Tribal Nations and surrounding communities while aligning with regional planning efforts. DOE will complete necessary environmental reviews and regulatory processes while maintaining communication with stakeholders as these projects progress.
More information on the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative can be found here.
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