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 utilising 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.”
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 Programme, 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.
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.
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