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Biltmore Solar Fields

Solar power plant in North Carolina, United States of America. Approximate location 35.5612, -82.5884.

SolarNorth CarolinaUnited States of America

Biltmore Solar Fields is a 2 MW solar power plant in North Carolina, United States of America. It is operated by The Biltmore Company. Based on reported annual generation of 1 GWh, it can supply roughly 342 homes. It ranks #9745 of 10,938 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2012, it is around 14 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, solar supplies about 8.6% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

2Source-backed capacity
1GWh reported / yr
342homes powered
2012commissioned (~14 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0061271.

Data status

Known data

FacilityBiltmore Solar Fields WRI
CountryUnited States of America · North Carolina WRI
Coordinates35.5612, -82.5884 WRI
FuelSolar WRI
MW installed capacity2 MW WRI source record; scope not independently normalised
OwnerThe Biltmore Company WRI
Commissioned2012 WRI
GWh reported / yr1 GWh/yr WRI

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#9745 of 10938 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#2513 of 3283 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers0.50× · 3 MW median · 3283 peers calculated
Homes-powered equivalent342 calculated from reported generation
Climate12.7°C · HDD 2,280 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC3 · 32/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

TechnologyNot available not in dataset
GWh reported / yrNot available not in dataset
CO₂ emissionsnot applicable not applicable

Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.

Data provenance

The capacity and/or fuel fields on this page include a source-backed provenance label from GEM, an official registry, Wikidata, OSM, or a cross-source match.

capacity: GEM tracker 2026 (location L100000812111); fuel: WRI source-record fuel

In context: how this plant compares

At 2 MW, Biltmore Solar Fields is below the median solar plant in United States of America (3 MW). Solar PV converts sunlight directly into electricity with no moving parts or fuel; output varies by time of day and weather, so it pairs with storage or flexible backup.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Reported generation trend

2016: 0 GWh20162017: 0 GWh20172018: 2 GWh20182019: 1 GWh20192 GWh

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by The Biltmore Company.

Local climate & thermal context

This solar plant converts sunlight directly into electricity with photovoltaic panels. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 35.6°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

12.7°Cannual mean temp
2,280heating degree-days (base 18°C)
365cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
720 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 2 °CJF: 4 °CFM: 8 °CMA: 12 °CAM: 17 °CMJ: 20 °CJJ: 23 °CJA: 22 °CAS: 19 °CSO: 13 °CON: 8 °CND: 4 °CD23 °C

Heating degree-days here run 7% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 47/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Solar PV loses ~0.35%/°C above 25°C cell temperature — roughly 0.0% at warm-season highs here (estimate).

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

For a plant’s outdoor hardware — heat-recovery steam generators (HRSG), expansion joints, valves, flanges and their insulation — the local climate sets how fast unprotected steel and coatings degrade. This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

C3ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
32/100environmental-severity index
20.4°Cseasonal temperature swing
390 kmdistance to coast

Higher environmental severity is exactly where protective removable insulation pays back most: a sheltered micro-climate slows corrosion, UV and thermal-cycling damage and extends outdoor hardware service life. This is an indicative site-climate context — not a condition assessment of any specific plant or operator.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #2513 largest solar power plant of 3283 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 3283 solar power plants in this dataset, together about 38,093 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates 35.5612, -82.5884 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Biltmore Solar Fields?

Biltmore Solar Fields is a 2 MW source-record solar power plant in North Carolina, United States of America, commissioned in 2012.

How much electricity does Biltmore Solar Fields generate?

Biltmore Solar Fields generates about 1 GWh of electricity per year.

How many homes can Biltmore Solar Fields power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 342 homes.

Who operates Biltmore Solar Fields?

Biltmore Solar Fields is operated by The Biltmore Company.

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