One of the first solar-plus-storage systems providing a
non-wires-alternative to deliver sustainable,
cost-effective, and reliable electricity to National Grid
customers
NEW
YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/
-- Convergent Energy + Power, a leading provider of energy
storage solutions in North
America, and National Grid, an electricity, natural gas, and
clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people
throughout New York and New
England, today announced the completion of one of the first
solar-plus-storage systems providing a non-wires-alternative (NWA).
The system, designed, constructed, and operated by Convergent, will
deliver more cost-effective, reliable, and sustainable electricity
to National Grid customers in Cicero, New
York, while leveraging solar energy during nonpeak
periods.
An NWA removes or defers the need to construct or upgrade
components of a distribution and/or transmission system. Energy
storage (typically battery storage) is a type of NWA that offers
utilities a way to increase capacity on the electric grid by
charging the batteries when electricity demand is low and
discharging when demand outstrips supply. Convergent's NWA with
National Grid pairs battery energy storage with solar energy
(solar-plus-storage).
Through a competitive bidding process, National Grid selected
Convergent to cost-effectively increase capacity at its
Pine Grove substation, increasing
benefits for customers while increasing the amount of solar energy
on the grid. National Grid will utilize the system on peak days to
provide seamless reliability to customers served by the substation.
During off-peak days, Convergent will participate in the market to
provide clean energy for National Grid customers.
"National Grid is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions
by increasing the amount of renewable energy on the grid while
improving reliability and affordability for customers," said
Brian Gemmell, National Grid's Chief
Clean Energy Development Officer. "Our recently released Clean
Energy Vision plan outlines a pathway to achieve a fossil-free
future to our energy systems that incorporates renewable
sources of energy and storage solutions such as this NWA Pine
Grove. Convergent Energy + Power's expertise in developing and
operating energy storage solutions that benefit utilities and
communities made them a natural fit for this project."
"We are thrilled to collaborate with National Grid, a leader in
implementing technologies that benefit customers, the electric
grid, and the planet," said Frank
Genova, Convergent's Chief Operating and Financial
Officer. "Convergent Energy + Power continues to move the
energy storage sector—and clean energy transition—forward to
address the increasing needs of our customers."
NY Green Bank, a division of the New York State Energy Research and Development
Authority (NYSERDA), which invests in clean energy and sustainable
infrastructure in New York State,
provided the construction-to-term financing for the project.
NYSERDA also provided a total of nearly $2.3
million for the project through its NY-Sun Program, the
state's $1.8 billion initiative to
advance the scale-up of solar while driving costs down and making
solar energy more accessible to homes, businesses, and
communities.
Greg Randolph, Head of
Investment and Portfolio Management, NY Green Bank said, "NY
Green Bank is proud to work with Convergent Energy + Power to
create a market-based model for construction and term financing for
solar-plus-storage projects in New York
State. We look forward to seeing private investment in this
asset class at-scale, which will be critical in building the clean,
smart grid of the future."
NYSERDA Vice President, Distributed Energy Resources David
Sandbank said, "In New York, private-public partnerships are a
centerpiece of the state's efforts to accelerate the development of
these critical distributed resources to bring the benefits of clean
energy into more homes and businesses while providing grid benefits
utility wide. We look forward to working with Convergent Energy +
Power and National Grid to see that this solar-plus-storage project
delivers clean, affordable solar energy to central New York customers for years to come."
Convergent's 10 MW/40 MWh of energy storage paired with 15 MWdc
of solar for National Grid is part of Convergent's portfolio of
eight solar-plus-storage systems in Central and Upstate New York.
The solar-plus-storage system was constructed by CS Energy.
GE provided the DC-Coupled energy storage package.
Convergent has over a decade of expertise developing energy
storage and solar-plus-storage solutions. In 2015, Convergent was
the first company to develop an NWA for utility infrastructure
in the United States. Now, the
company is one of the first to develop a solar-plus-storage system
providing an NWA.
About Convergent
Convergent Energy + Power
(Convergent) is a leading provider of energy storage solutions in
North America. Convergent has over
a decade of experience financing and managing all aspects of the
energy storage development cycle to help customers reduce
electricity costs and increase reliability. The company's
commercial, industrial, and utility-scale assets can yield
seven-figure savings while advancing the clean energy transition.
Convergent's proprietary asset management platform, PEAK IQ®
leverages machine learning and deep market knowledge to optimize
asset performance and maximize value. With over $400M invested in projects in operation or
allocated to projects under development, Convergent is a leading
independent owner and operator of energy storage and
solar-plus-storage solutions. For more information,
visit convergentep.com or follow us
on LinkedIn or Twitter.
About National Grid
National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an
electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving
more than 20 million people through our networks in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. National Grid is transforming
our electricity and natural gas networks with smarter, cleaner, and
more resilient energy solutions to meet the goal of reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. For more information, please visit our
website, follow us on Twitter, watch us on YouTube, friend us on
Facebook, and find our photos on Instagram.
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SOURCE Convergent Energy + Power