Prysmian opts for solar power to better manage costs

Renewables cabling manufacturer Prysmian has built a new solar project at its manufacturing facility in Illinois which will generate 50 percent of the plant's requirements-and help manage its energy costs.

By Robin Brunet

At face value, the new 7.5 MWp fixed tilt solar array from Northern Sun Energy, PowerFlex, and Onyx Renewables at Prysmian’s cable manufacturing plant in Du Quoin, Illinois, is a familiar and efficient way to reduce reliance on the grid and accelerate the transition to more sustainable operations.

Prysmian, which operates in over 50 countries, is no stranger to the renewables realm: its Du Quoin facility makes copper medium voltage cable that can be used in renewable energy applications like solar or wind power projects. As for the new array, its 10,800 modules are paired with a Tesla Megapack 2XL battery storage system, making it one of the region’s few distributed energy projects intended to directly serve a major industrial facility. The project’s community benefits also included the creation of local trade jobs in the Du Quoin area,
in southern Illinois, about 90 miles southeast of St. Louis, Missouri.

But the Prysmian project represents something much larger in the grand scheme of things: a trend in renewables that addresses a need to augment power grids severely challenged by the growing number of data centers supporting the provision of artificial intelligence.

“We’ve done several of these kinds of projects, and the significance of Prysmian is that the energy generated by the solar array doesn’t go to the grid. Instead, it goes directly to the Prysmian facility,” says Chris Balogh, Vice-President and Managing Partner at Northern Sun Energy.

Derek Wodrich, Senior Project Manager at Northern Sun Energy, adds, “Rate increases are especially high in states where new data centers are coming online. Larger electrical consumers nationwide, faced with rising energy rates, are opting for behind-the-meter arrays.”

Angie Daoud, Chief Operating Officer at New York-based Onyx Renewables (a national provider of clean energy and decarbonization solutions to commercial and industrial business), says, “With our focus on heavy manufacturing operations, Prysmian and its extensive energy use fit our business model, and we worked with PowerFlex to help make Prysmian’s operations sustainable.”

Daoud adds that in a single year, her company has been involved with a host of high-profile brands seeking more active control of their electrical input costs by investing in localized solar power and storage. “Corporate energy procurement is rapidly changing, and Prysmian is a prime example,” she says. “Companies no longer need to let rising utility prices dictate their bottom line.”

The Prysmian project began in 2023, when the manufacturer engaged PowerFlex to determine the best way to sustainably generate 50 percent of the energy required for production. Prysmian also had ambitious climate goals, including a commitment to reduce Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 90 percent and achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions throughout its value chain by 2035.

Frequently for such projects, PowerFlex serves as the development and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner, while Onyx provides project financing and serves as the long-term system owner and operator, delivering ongoing asset management and maintenance services for the life of the project. “PowerFlex had developed the project to the point where permitting was in place,” Daoud says. “We took over in 2024 and went through the engineering phase with them.

Daoud goes on to note that, “Onyx maintains the highest standards of quality and design in our projects and the partners we work with, and we are diligent about checking all the engineering and regulatory boxes in order to minimize hurdles. One benefit of the Prysmian site was that it was fairly flat, and no intense civil work would be required.”

Northern Sun was the construction contractor, and Balogh says, “Fortunately, the Du Quoin community has a positive view on solar. We experienced straightforward, good communication and endorsement at the local level.”

Balogh notes that in addition to federal incentives, the Illinois Shines Program was a key driver. Legislatively known as the Adjustable Block Program, Illinois Shines supports the development of on-site solar (distributed generation) as well as community solar projects. The 2021 passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act supported significant expansion of Illinois Shines, and ultimately requires 100 percent use of renewable energy sources in the state by 2050, including provisions to make solar energy more available to low- and moderate-income communities.

An equipment assortment was developed for the project including Canadian Solar CS7N-690TB-AG modules. These modules have up to 85 percent power bifaciality, and excellent anti-LeTID & anti-PID performance. Prysmian also required SMA Sunny Highpower Peak3 125-US inverters, 40 in total; the Peak3s are marketed as delivering superior power density in a compact, lightweight design, thus reducing transportation costs and simplifying installation. They are also built to perform in extreme environments.

Topping off the assortment was ground-mounted racking and a Tesla Megapack2XL battery storage system: a high-density, containerized lithium-ion storage system for utility-scale projects. It enables grid stability, peak demand management, and renewable energy integration, with 2- or 4-hour durations.

Wodrich says of the construction process, “We had plenty of space to effectively manage deliveries.” Utilizing a just-in-time delivery schedule for racking and modules enabled single handling of much of the material from the truck to the field. This approach kept site congestion down, mitigated risks of material damage, and maintained safety as a priority by avoiding slips, trips and falls around staged material.

Wodrich adds, “It was extremely hot when construction began in June 2025, with daily highs reaching 94 degrees F. We protected our team by having them work only 45 minutes out of every hour, pairing up workers to look out for each other, and providing plenty of shade and water. As a result, there was only one minor case of heat stress, which was immediately addressed and remedied. Otherwise, it was a straightforward installation: no pile rejects, and ideal slope and grading.”

	The now-completed solar project (shown under construction above) helps to support the energy needs of a Prysmian manufacturing plant in Illinois. Prysmian’s Du Quoin facility makes copper medium voltage cable that can be used in renewable energy applications like solar or wind power projects.

Balogh says of PowerFlex, “We’re proud to have a great relationship with their team. Deliverables were clear and concise, and our close collaboration on project management was effective at solving challenges and delivering results.”

For Northern Sun, Prysmian represents an expansion into the U.S. Midwest. “It reflects what we’re here to do: deliver practical, well-engineered clean energy systems that support local industry, help manage grid demand, and build long-term energy resilience,” says Scott Pfaff, the company’s Vice President of Construction operations and managing partner.

For Onyx, it’s the latest addition to a portfolio of clients who are able to hedge energy consumption with renewable energy at fixed rates (in Prysmian’s case, for 20 years). “Our nation’s grid already had challenges without the rise of IT and data centers; now the situation is volatile, high rates are the norm, and every type of energy source is needed,” Daoud says.

The impact of data centers cannot be underestimated. According to Felicity Bradstock, an independent analyst specializing in energy and finance, they contributed to around 1.5 percent of global electricity consumption in 2024, marking a 12 percent year-on-year increase over the last five years. The global electricity demand from data centers is expected to almost double by 2030.

“In the U.S., rapid sectoral expansion means that data centres were expected to require 22 percent more power by the end of 2025 than just one year prior,” Bradstock told OilPrice.com. “This figure is forecast to increase threefold by 2030.”

Accordingly, Onyx’s portfolio includes universally known brand names. “We’ve done projects for Primo Brands’ Poland Spring bottling facility in Maine, and another of our recent projects was for Toyota Boshoku America,” Daoud says.

She is referring to a 5.7-megawatt onsite solar array serving the llinois manufacturing plant of Toyota Boshoku America (TBA) in May 2025. Over the course of a 15-year power purchase agreement, this distributed generation system will fulfill 85 percent of the electricity needs at Toyota Boshoku Illinois. Onyx partner Sol System originated the project and began development in 2023. Onyx then acquired the project in 2024, continuing its development and securing a 15-year power purchase agreement.

To complete the onsite solar installation, TBA purchased a 64-acre plot of land adjacent to its manufacturing plant. The solar energy system is designed to accommodate natural features on the property, including a stream and a high-grade incline, preserving as much of the landscape as possible. This is TBA’s largest onsite solar installation to date, and Onyx also posted a decommissioning bond to the local county, ensuring that the land where the solar installation sits will be returned to its original state when the project ends.

Daoud concludes, “These types of clean energy solutions can be deployed in a year or two and provide stability for up to 25 years with a fixed rate. We think it’s a trend among high energy-use companies that is here to stay.”

Q2 2026