Investment firm Excelsior Energy Capital LP's North American Renewable Energy Fund has partnered with community solar developer Nokomis Partners to construct and operate a 16.5-MW solar portfolio in Minnesota.

The ground-mount solar projects will sell power under the Minnesota Solar Community Garden program to municipal and commercial customers, the two companies said in a May 14 news release.

Excelsior, who will be the long-term owner, is raising the tax equity, construction and permanent debt financing for the projects. Construction of the projects is expected to begin in the second quarter of this year, and the two parties said they are already working on their next portfolio of projects.