American construction company McCarthy Building has commenced construction on four new large-scale solar projects in Southwestern US.

McCarthy is aiming for national Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) compliance throughout the building process.

Once complete and fully commissioned, the projects will supply communities in Arizona and Texas with more than 1GW of renewable energy.

Currently, the projects are in various phases of construction.

Over 800 new solar construction jobs are being created through these initiatives, with more than 200 set to be equipment and electrical apprenticeships that are intended to train new workers in the expanding solar sector.

McCarthy’s four solar projects include a 260MW DC solar project in Milam County, Texas, which began in June this year and is expected to be completed in December next year.

Another MW DC solar project in Arlington, Arizona, which incorporates a 300MW battery energy storage system, is projected to be completed in mid-2025.

Furthermore, a 260MW DC solar project in Pearsall, Texas, is scheduled to be completed in June 2024.

The fourth and final 217MW DC solar project in Marana, Arizona, features a 213MW battery energy storage system. It is scheduled to be finished in March 2025.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, the country is set to add 63GW of photovoltaic (PV) power by the end of next year.

McCarthy Renewable Energy executive vice-president Scott Canada said: “With utility-scale solar construction jobs on the rise around the nation, we are continually working to help local skilled craft workers, veterans and those displaced from jobs in other sectors to join our solar project teams and receive the training needed to develop rewarding careers in the growing renewable energy sector.

“Now with the IRA, there are federal incentives in place to further support apprenticeship programmes that create even more good-paying jobs and expand workforce training pathways into these careers.”