Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE), a US-based renewable power developer headquartered in Dallas, Texas, has begun commercial operations of the 177 MW Ridgely Solar project in Lake County, Tennessee. The project, which is LRE’s first operational asset in the state, supplies electricity to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) under a long-term power purchase agreement. According to LRE, the construction phase created around 700 jobs and is expected to generate about $3 million in property tax revenue over its lifetime. The project was developed using Nextracker’s NX Horizon-XTR terrain-following tracker systems and First Solar’s thin-film PV modules to ensure operational efficiency and adaptability to site conditions.