The acquisitions bring Standard Solar’s owned assets above 20MW in Massachusetts and above 50MW in Maine.
Standard Solar announced that it has acquired from EDF Renewables a solar and storage project developed on an EPA Superfund site in Acton, Massachusetts.
The project is the 4.69MW/4MWh Lawsbrook Solar + Storage project, and it’s housed on the W.R. Grace Superfund Site, an area formerly used for gravel extraction and acquired by EDF Renewables in 2018. The project also operates under Massachusetts’ Solar Massachusetts Renewable Targets (SMART) program, which provides incentives for solar and storage projects.
Created in 2016 the SMART program is one of the pillars that the state will use to achieve its Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard, in addition to its recently codified 2030 and 2050 goals for a statewide clean energy economy.
“The Acton Water Solar + Storage project is the first of two projects that EDF Renewables has had the privilege to partner with the Acton Water District on,” said associate director of business development for EDF Renewables, Peter Bay. “We are thrilled to see the project come to fruition, despite numerous permitting and interconnection challenges, and begin conveying benefits to the District and Town of Plymouth.”
The Lawsbrook project is part of Standard Solar’s expanding portfolio in Massachusetts. The company currently owns and maintains nearly 20MW of renewable assets in Massachusetts and 280MW of commercial and community solar projects throughout the United States.
“Adding this solar+storage project to our existing portfolio in Massachusetts underscores our rapid growth, said Director of Business Development for Standard Solar, Eric Partyka. “It’s always significant when we connect with a great partner like EDF Renewables and acquire projects that are helping a town like Plymouth and the Acton Water District to capitalize on the multiple benefits of a solar and storage system.”
Standard solar also recently acquired a 7MW community solar project in Trenton, ME. This acquisition adds to the company’s existing 50 MW portfolio in Maine.
The project, Trenton’s first large-scale community solar installation, is also part of the state’s Net Energy Billing program, and will bring a 15-25% energy savings to nine leading Maine businesses who have subscribed, sharing the benefits without having to connect to it or invest in its development. NEB, overseen by the Maine Public Utilities Commission, enables businesses and municipalities to receive financial benefits from clean energy produced by a local solar array.
The project, which is expected to be completed this summer, utilizes bifacial solar modules – double-sided panels that will help the system generate an additional 15% of output from ground reflection, something particularly advantageous given Maine’s snowy winters.
“This newest addition to our ownership portfolio in Maine signifies an important step in our push to bring cleaner energy to business and communities and our nation closer to its decarbonization goals,” said Director of Business Development at Standard Solar, Harry Benson.
