THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHTER AS SUSTAINABLE ENERGY INCREASES SHARE IN GLOBAL ENERGY CAPACITY

July 17, 2019 | 187 views

Acceptance towards Renewable energy worldwide has created an upheaval in the existing energy industry, giving sustainable energy sector more and more market share every year. Last year global Renewable energy growth was phenomenal, which showcased 171 GW of new capacity addition. Although, last year’s capacity addition was only 7.9% higher than 2017, consistent growth has helped the sector to account for 1/3 of global energy capacity. This must be highlighted as an exceptional growth trajectory, considering it took a little more than a just decade to reach this position. Like every year, Asia accounted for more than 60% of the new RE energy capacity in 2018, however what is really interesting is the emergence of new markets like- Oceania (17.7%) and Africa (8%) that are showing rapid growth in Renewable capacity installation, over the previous year. Besides consistent growth in developed countries, this indicates how developing countries are betting big on solar power as well. Total renewable energy generation capacity (global) currently stands at 2,351 GW. And although Hydro power accounts for the majority of it, solar energy and wind capacities are growing in a rapid manner. For example- in new capacity addition (171 GW) last year, solar energy accounted for ~90 GW of capacity while wind added ~53 GW capacity. Although, wind capacity takes the 2nd position right after the biggest share holder in RE energy mix: Hydropower, Solar energy has been consistently making higher y-o-y capacity addition globally, being championed by its worldwide acceptability.

Spotlight

Energy Aware

We are an industry-leading supplier of solar power systems with a commitment to quality, innovation and customer service. Founded in 2009, Energy Aware has evolved from a business initially focused on small-scale residential solar and battery installations to today delivering the largest industrial and commercial solar projects in Australia.

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STRATEGY AND BEST PRACTICES, INDUSTRY UPDATES

A vision for renewable energy

Article | August 16, 2022

Right now, renewable energy makes up a very small part of the entire energy sector of Bangladesh. But as we move into the future, and concerns about the environment become too great to ignore, exploring cleaner and greener sources of energy becomes the need of the hour. Our economy is booming, and our population is growing, so it goes without saying that our energy requirements are immense. There is plenty of scientific evidence that burning fossil fuels indiscriminately is not sustainable in the long term, so we do need to up our game in looking at alternatives.

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SOLAR+STORAGE

2020: The Year of Convergence in Corporate Renewables

Article | June 8, 2022

The rapid growth of corporate renewable procurement has been nothing short of a buyer-driven revolution in the United States’ electric sector. Almost 20 gigawatts (GWs) of corporate power purchasing agreements (PPAs) were completed in 2019 across the globe, up from 13 GWs of corporate PPAs in 2018 and triple the numbers from 2017.1,2 And the majority of this growth has come from the United States. Fortunately for those of us committed to renewable energy, we expect this trend to continue. But as should be expected in such a dynamic, buyer-driven sector, we are starting to see some noticeable shifts in the marketplace as it evolves and grows. I wanted to highlight some of the trends Constellation is watching for this year.

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ENERGY, INDUSTRY UPDATES

2020 Trends That Will Make Waves In The Energy Industry

Article | July 29, 2022

In the renewable world, energy is generated by weather and the amount of energy that can be produced depends on the current conditions. Energy storage can ensure a power supply is maintained when weather conditions are not optimal for generating energy. While energy storage products have already been introduced to all levels of the market there are several technology hurdles to overcome before energy storage will reach maximum potential. We believe there will be great advancements in 2020 on:

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Solar Power, Great For The Environment? Or Is It The Last Thing We Need?

Article | February 10, 2020

Solar power is an undeniably a green, renewable form of electricity generation - but many organisations with questionable motives (even here in New Zealand) are trying to persuade the public (and Government – hi lobbyists!) that solar power isn’t that environmentally friendly, and that it's even harmful. At the expense of bullish corporate profits, solar power is often thrown under the bus. This article lists the facts - putting an end to the negative spin on solar so often found in the media. When solar panels produce power, they do not; create any air pollution, use zero water, create carbon emissions, noise pollution, and they won’t disturb surrounding ecosystems. Solar power is a renewable energy source, the sun’s rays are infinite, fill your boots.

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Spotlight

Energy Aware

We are an industry-leading supplier of solar power systems with a commitment to quality, innovation and customer service. Founded in 2009, Energy Aware has evolved from a business initially focused on small-scale residential solar and battery installations to today delivering the largest industrial and commercial solar projects in Australia.

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ENERGY

Tigo Energy Releases Solar-Plus-Storage for German Market at Intersolar Europe

businesswire | June 09, 2023

Tigo Energy, Inc. a leading provider of intelligent solar and energy storage solutions, today announced the release of the Tigo EI (Energy Intelligence) Residential Solar Solution for the German market at the 2023 Intersolar Europe exhibition. The Tigo EI Residential Solar Solution includes a storage-ready inverter, a modular battery system, and everything else required for fast, flexible, and dependable solar and solar-plus-storage installations. Tigo representatives will showcase the Company’s comprehensive range of solar hardware and software solutions at Intersolar Europe from June 14 to 16, 2023, at the Messe München in Munich, Germany. The Tigo EI Residential Solar Solution for the European market consists of Tigo TS4 Flex MLPE products, a line of single-phase and three-phase storage-ready inverters, modular DC-coupled energy storage components, and the Tigo EI Link, the communications hub and central connection point for all grid, inverter, PV, and battery connections. With commissioning times of typically less than 10 minutes, installers can quickly activate the system, and through module-level monitoring, energy data from the EI Residential Solar Solution is processed by Tigo Energy Intelligence software, installers can monitor and manage their fleet of customer systems with a few mouse clicks. Tigo customers in the EU also benefit from industry-leading warranties and a skilled, multilingual support team to ensure that installers are never on their own with Tigo products. “I am delighted with the ease and simplicity of installing the Tigo EI Residential Solution and how seamlessly it could be integrated with the existing electrical infrastructure at my customer’s home,” said Klaus Besiers, CEO at Elektrobau Meffert GmbH. “The installation and commissioning processes are truly user-friendly, it’s a hassle-free experience for the installer, and I am proud to be able to provide my customers a solar-plus-storage option that is reliable and efficient, meets their needs, and exceeds their expectations. As such, Tigo EI Residential is actually easy and unique, and I make that claim confidently after completing an installation of this system.” Klaus Besiers, of Elektrobau Meffert GmbH, recently completed the first Tigo EI Residential pilot installation in Germany. To learn more about Mr. Besiers’ installation process and documentation of the experience, please view the Tigo case study here. “Our EI Residential Solution represents a paradigm shift in the solar market landscape because the system creates a scenario in which technology products no longer constrain the design or installation processes but rather simplify and expedite them,” said Mirko Bindi, Senior VP Sales EMEA & MD Europe at Tigo Energy. “Furthermore, when the remarkable efficiency of Tigo TS4 optimizers is combined with the extensive data analytics provided by the Tigo Energy Intelligence platform, installers can realize substantial cost savings for the operations and maintenance phase of the systems deployed in their customer fleets, and homeowners enjoy faster ROI.” At Intersolar Europe, Tigo will provide an extensive series of technical training sessions hosted by the Company’s technology experts, including sessions on Tigo Reclaimed Energy, an exclusive monitoring feature that quantifies the energy recovered through optimization. A detailed schedule of events can be found on the Tigo event page for Intersolar Europe. The benefits of the Tigo TS4 family of Flex MLPE products, the Tigo EI Residential Solar Solution, and the Tigo Energy Intelligence monitoring software will be on display at the Tigo Energy booth at Intersolar Europe (Messe München, Germany) in Pav. B4, Booth Nr 171, from June 14 to 16, 2023. To view a list of partners showcasing Tigo solutions or schedule an appointment with a Tigo representative ahead of time, please visit the Tigo scheduling page here. About Tigo Energy, Inc. Founded in 2007, Tigo Energy, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of smart hardware and software solutions that enhance safety, increase energy yield, and lower operating costs of residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar systems. Tigo combines its Flex MLPE (Module Level Power Electronics) and solar optimizer technology with intelligent, cloud-based software capabilities for advanced energy monitoring and control. Tigo MLPE products maximize performance, enable real-time energy monitoring, and provide code-required rapid shutdown at the module level. The company also develops and manufactures products such as inverters and battery storage systems for the residential solar-plus-storage market.

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

Energy Tech Giant Kraken Lands First US Licensing Deal With Energy Manager Tenaska Power Services

businesswire | June 08, 2023

Kraken Technologies, one of the world’s fastest growing energy tech companies, has signed its first deal in the US with energy manager Tenaska Power Services (TPS). The initial implementation will manage certain TPS customer battery sites in Texas but could grow across the company’s US portfolio. This strategic collaboration will give TPS greater operational flexibility, enhance grid stability, and optimize its customers’ revenue streams in an increasingly dynamic energy landscape. Kraken’s cloud-based platform offers its clients end-to-end management of the whole energy supply chain, from flexible energy device management all the way to customer billing and support, enabling its clients unrivalled scaling potential in a renewable world. The platform also provides relentless efficiency, with a cost-to-serve up to 40% lower than other energy suppliers and has delivered best-in-customer-service accolades for clients who moved onto it. Kraken enables energy companies to unlock the full potential of their wind and solar farms or batteries by using advanced data analytics, AI and optimization to maximize device usage, revenues and environmental benefit. This increases the footprint of renewables on the grid, alleviates grid constraints and helps grid providers and energy suppliers to better prepare for extreme weather events. Kraken is currently contracted to manage over 6 GW across more than 45,000 green energy assets growing 30% month-on-month. It is targeting the management of 200,000 assets and 10 GW of energy capacity by the end of 2023. It is also contracted to serve 30 million energy customer accounts globally, targeting management of 100 million by 2027, with 10 million of those coming from the US. The platform is now active in 14 countries including the UK, the US, Japan, Australia and a large portion of mainland Europe. TPS is part of Tenaska, one of the largest natural gas and electric power marketing companies in North America. Its portfolio includes more than 23 GW of solar, wind, energy storage and 10 carbon sequestration projects, capable of storing 50 million tons of CO2 per year. Greg Jackson, Founder of Octopus Energy Group, announcing the news at Reuters Energy Transition event in New York, commented: “The products and services Kraken enables are the key to the cheap, green energy revolution. As our first US licensee, TPS will take decades of energy expertise and combine it with new cutting-edge technology to maximise the benefit of its customers’ assets while helping to balance the grid. “With extreme weather events, increased electricity demand and the evolution of the smart grid to come, TPS is already leagues ahead in preparing for the energy grid of the future.” Jeremy Carpenter, Vice President of Energy Management and Operations at Tenaska Power Services, commented: “TPS is excited to work with Kraken to manage a number of resource portfolios including distributed generation, batteries and thermal generation. TPS will leverage Kraken’s unique communication and data aggregation solutions to provide its best-in-class energy management services to a broader range of customers.” About Kraken Technologies Kraken offers a best-in-class end-to-end platform for energy supply, and is operating in the UK, Japan, US, New Zealand, Australia and most of mainland Europe. Kraken’s proprietary platform is contracted to serve over 30 million energy accounts across the globe through licensees and its parent company Octopus Energy, where it is responsible for the acquisition and management of 5.3 million domestic and business customers. Based on advanced data and machine learning capabilities, Kraken automates much of the energy supply chain to allow outstanding service and efficiency as the world transitions to a decentralized, decarbonized energy system. Kraken is part of Octopus Energy Group, and was developed to enable select third parties to take advantage of the technologies developed by Octopus Energy. It has already been licensed by major global players including Origin Energy, E.ON, Tokyo Gas and EDF. The platform is on track to reach 100 million energy accounts by 2027.

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SUSTAINABILITY

NJR Clean Energy Ventures and New Jersey American Water Highlight Innovative Solutions With North America’s Largest Floating Solar Array

businesswire | June 07, 2023

From air conditioning to vacuum cleaners, New Jersey has long been known for its innovations, and now it is home to the largest floating solar array in North America. Consisting of 16,510 solar panels, the 8.9-megawatt (MW) solar array covers 17 acres of the Canoe Brook reservoir in Short Hills, New Jersey. The clean power generated is enough to power 1,400 homes annually and will provide approximately 95% of the power needs for New Jersey American Water’s Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant. Owned and operated by NJR Clean Energy Ventures (CEV), the renewable energy subsidiary of New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR), the array uses an innovative racking system that enables the panels to float on water. Projects like this offer a novel approach to developing solar and a practical solution to the challenge of finding suitable locations to accommodate large scale commercial solar installations. Built mostly on man-made lakes or reservoirs, where tides and saltwater will not impact the panels, floating solar projects turn beneficial use space into clean energy. Innovative approaches to clean energy, like Canoe Brook, are increasingly important in densely populated areas, such as New Jersey. “Floating solar technology creates new opportunities for underutilized bodies of water, allowing space that would otherwise sit vacant to enable large-scale renewable energy generation, which helps to bring the benefits of clean energy to even more customers,” said Robert Pohlman, Vice President of NJR Clean Energy Ventures. “As a leader in New Jersey’s solar marketplace, we look forward to working with New Jersey American Water to support its power needs and advance the state’s clean energy and climate goals.” “As the state’s largest water and wastewater utility company, it is essential for us to be good stewards of the environment by operating efficiently and in a manner that helps protect our natural resources,” said Mark McDonough, president of New Jersey American Water. “This initiative provides a meaningful reduction of traditional energy use that benefits the environment, as well as our customers through limited capital expense and reduced power costs.” "Sound and consistent investment in renewable energy is critical to reducing climate pollution and the resulting flooding, wildfire, and extreme heat repeatedly harming New Jersey's communities and economy," said Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette. "The Canoe Brook Floating Solar Facility project is an example of innovative leadership by critical partners in business and industry working hard to ensure the Garden State reduces its climate risk. My Department of Environmental Protection colleagues and I congratulate NJR Clean Energy Ventures and New Jersey American Water for their work on this project.” “We are proud to see the largest floating solar facility in North America be built in New Jersey, It truly underscores the efforts that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities puts towards a diverse, clean, energy future,” said Commissioner Mary-Anna Holden of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. The Canoe Brook solar facility was placed into full commercial operation in January 2023. In addition to providing sustainable, clean energy, the array provides other benefits. The solar power produced is equal to removing 8,121 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere compared to traditional power sources. Floating solar panels can also help reduce evaporation, which protects the water source and benefits the environment. Since 2009, CEV has invested over $1 billion in commercial and residential solar projects. As one of the largest solar owner/operators in that state, today it maintains 65 commercial solar assets across four states and a portfolio of more than 440 MW of installed capacity. Canoe Brook is the second floating solar project in CEV’s portfolio. The first, a 4.4 MW array located in Sayreville, New Jersey, was placed into commercial operation in 2020. About New Jersey American Water New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.8 million people. For more information, visit www.newjerseyamwater.com and follow New Jersey American Water on Twitter and Facebook. About New Jersey Resources New Jersey Resources is a Fortune 1000 company that, through its subsidiaries, provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution, asset management and home services. NJR is composed of five primary businesses: New Jersey Natural Gas, NJR’s principal subsidiary, operates and maintains over 7,700 miles of natural gas transportation and distribution infrastructure to serve over 570,000 customers in New Jersey’s Monmouth, Ocean and parts of Morris, Middlesex, Sussex and Burlington counties. Clean Energy Ventures invests in, owns and operates solar projects with a total capacity of approximately 440 megawatts, providing residential and commercial customers with low-carbon solutions. Energy Services manages a diversified portfolio of natural gas transportation and storage assets and provides physical natural gas services and customized energy solutions to its customers across North America. Storage and Transportation serves customers from local distributors and producers to electric generators and wholesale marketers through its ownership of Leaf River and the Adelphia Gateway Pipeline, as well as our 50% equity ownership in the Steckman Ridge natural gas storage facility. Home Services provides service contracts as well as heating, central air conditioning, water heaters, standby generators, solar and other indoor and outdoor comfort products to residential homes throughout New Jersey. NJR and its over 1,300 employees are committed to helping customers save energy and money by promoting conservation and encouraging efficiency through Conserve to Preserve® and initiatives such as The SAVEGREEN Project® and The Sunlight Advantage.

Read More

ENERGY

Tigo Energy Releases Solar-Plus-Storage for German Market at Intersolar Europe

businesswire | June 09, 2023

Tigo Energy, Inc. a leading provider of intelligent solar and energy storage solutions, today announced the release of the Tigo EI (Energy Intelligence) Residential Solar Solution for the German market at the 2023 Intersolar Europe exhibition. The Tigo EI Residential Solar Solution includes a storage-ready inverter, a modular battery system, and everything else required for fast, flexible, and dependable solar and solar-plus-storage installations. Tigo representatives will showcase the Company’s comprehensive range of solar hardware and software solutions at Intersolar Europe from June 14 to 16, 2023, at the Messe München in Munich, Germany. The Tigo EI Residential Solar Solution for the European market consists of Tigo TS4 Flex MLPE products, a line of single-phase and three-phase storage-ready inverters, modular DC-coupled energy storage components, and the Tigo EI Link, the communications hub and central connection point for all grid, inverter, PV, and battery connections. With commissioning times of typically less than 10 minutes, installers can quickly activate the system, and through module-level monitoring, energy data from the EI Residential Solar Solution is processed by Tigo Energy Intelligence software, installers can monitor and manage their fleet of customer systems with a few mouse clicks. Tigo customers in the EU also benefit from industry-leading warranties and a skilled, multilingual support team to ensure that installers are never on their own with Tigo products. “I am delighted with the ease and simplicity of installing the Tigo EI Residential Solution and how seamlessly it could be integrated with the existing electrical infrastructure at my customer’s home,” said Klaus Besiers, CEO at Elektrobau Meffert GmbH. “The installation and commissioning processes are truly user-friendly, it’s a hassle-free experience for the installer, and I am proud to be able to provide my customers a solar-plus-storage option that is reliable and efficient, meets their needs, and exceeds their expectations. As such, Tigo EI Residential is actually easy and unique, and I make that claim confidently after completing an installation of this system.” Klaus Besiers, of Elektrobau Meffert GmbH, recently completed the first Tigo EI Residential pilot installation in Germany. To learn more about Mr. Besiers’ installation process and documentation of the experience, please view the Tigo case study here. “Our EI Residential Solution represents a paradigm shift in the solar market landscape because the system creates a scenario in which technology products no longer constrain the design or installation processes but rather simplify and expedite them,” said Mirko Bindi, Senior VP Sales EMEA & MD Europe at Tigo Energy. “Furthermore, when the remarkable efficiency of Tigo TS4 optimizers is combined with the extensive data analytics provided by the Tigo Energy Intelligence platform, installers can realize substantial cost savings for the operations and maintenance phase of the systems deployed in their customer fleets, and homeowners enjoy faster ROI.” At Intersolar Europe, Tigo will provide an extensive series of technical training sessions hosted by the Company’s technology experts, including sessions on Tigo Reclaimed Energy, an exclusive monitoring feature that quantifies the energy recovered through optimization. A detailed schedule of events can be found on the Tigo event page for Intersolar Europe. The benefits of the Tigo TS4 family of Flex MLPE products, the Tigo EI Residential Solar Solution, and the Tigo Energy Intelligence monitoring software will be on display at the Tigo Energy booth at Intersolar Europe (Messe München, Germany) in Pav. B4, Booth Nr 171, from June 14 to 16, 2023. To view a list of partners showcasing Tigo solutions or schedule an appointment with a Tigo representative ahead of time, please visit the Tigo scheduling page here. About Tigo Energy, Inc. Founded in 2007, Tigo Energy, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of smart hardware and software solutions that enhance safety, increase energy yield, and lower operating costs of residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar systems. Tigo combines its Flex MLPE (Module Level Power Electronics) and solar optimizer technology with intelligent, cloud-based software capabilities for advanced energy monitoring and control. Tigo MLPE products maximize performance, enable real-time energy monitoring, and provide code-required rapid shutdown at the module level. The company also develops and manufactures products such as inverters and battery storage systems for the residential solar-plus-storage market.

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

Energy Tech Giant Kraken Lands First US Licensing Deal With Energy Manager Tenaska Power Services

businesswire | June 08, 2023

Kraken Technologies, one of the world’s fastest growing energy tech companies, has signed its first deal in the US with energy manager Tenaska Power Services (TPS). The initial implementation will manage certain TPS customer battery sites in Texas but could grow across the company’s US portfolio. This strategic collaboration will give TPS greater operational flexibility, enhance grid stability, and optimize its customers’ revenue streams in an increasingly dynamic energy landscape. Kraken’s cloud-based platform offers its clients end-to-end management of the whole energy supply chain, from flexible energy device management all the way to customer billing and support, enabling its clients unrivalled scaling potential in a renewable world. The platform also provides relentless efficiency, with a cost-to-serve up to 40% lower than other energy suppliers and has delivered best-in-customer-service accolades for clients who moved onto it. Kraken enables energy companies to unlock the full potential of their wind and solar farms or batteries by using advanced data analytics, AI and optimization to maximize device usage, revenues and environmental benefit. This increases the footprint of renewables on the grid, alleviates grid constraints and helps grid providers and energy suppliers to better prepare for extreme weather events. Kraken is currently contracted to manage over 6 GW across more than 45,000 green energy assets growing 30% month-on-month. It is targeting the management of 200,000 assets and 10 GW of energy capacity by the end of 2023. It is also contracted to serve 30 million energy customer accounts globally, targeting management of 100 million by 2027, with 10 million of those coming from the US. The platform is now active in 14 countries including the UK, the US, Japan, Australia and a large portion of mainland Europe. TPS is part of Tenaska, one of the largest natural gas and electric power marketing companies in North America. Its portfolio includes more than 23 GW of solar, wind, energy storage and 10 carbon sequestration projects, capable of storing 50 million tons of CO2 per year. Greg Jackson, Founder of Octopus Energy Group, announcing the news at Reuters Energy Transition event in New York, commented: “The products and services Kraken enables are the key to the cheap, green energy revolution. As our first US licensee, TPS will take decades of energy expertise and combine it with new cutting-edge technology to maximise the benefit of its customers’ assets while helping to balance the grid. “With extreme weather events, increased electricity demand and the evolution of the smart grid to come, TPS is already leagues ahead in preparing for the energy grid of the future.” Jeremy Carpenter, Vice President of Energy Management and Operations at Tenaska Power Services, commented: “TPS is excited to work with Kraken to manage a number of resource portfolios including distributed generation, batteries and thermal generation. TPS will leverage Kraken’s unique communication and data aggregation solutions to provide its best-in-class energy management services to a broader range of customers.” About Kraken Technologies Kraken offers a best-in-class end-to-end platform for energy supply, and is operating in the UK, Japan, US, New Zealand, Australia and most of mainland Europe. Kraken’s proprietary platform is contracted to serve over 30 million energy accounts across the globe through licensees and its parent company Octopus Energy, where it is responsible for the acquisition and management of 5.3 million domestic and business customers. Based on advanced data and machine learning capabilities, Kraken automates much of the energy supply chain to allow outstanding service and efficiency as the world transitions to a decentralized, decarbonized energy system. Kraken is part of Octopus Energy Group, and was developed to enable select third parties to take advantage of the technologies developed by Octopus Energy. It has already been licensed by major global players including Origin Energy, E.ON, Tokyo Gas and EDF. The platform is on track to reach 100 million energy accounts by 2027.

Read More

SUSTAINABILITY

NJR Clean Energy Ventures and New Jersey American Water Highlight Innovative Solutions With North America’s Largest Floating Solar Array

businesswire | June 07, 2023

From air conditioning to vacuum cleaners, New Jersey has long been known for its innovations, and now it is home to the largest floating solar array in North America. Consisting of 16,510 solar panels, the 8.9-megawatt (MW) solar array covers 17 acres of the Canoe Brook reservoir in Short Hills, New Jersey. The clean power generated is enough to power 1,400 homes annually and will provide approximately 95% of the power needs for New Jersey American Water’s Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant. Owned and operated by NJR Clean Energy Ventures (CEV), the renewable energy subsidiary of New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR), the array uses an innovative racking system that enables the panels to float on water. Projects like this offer a novel approach to developing solar and a practical solution to the challenge of finding suitable locations to accommodate large scale commercial solar installations. Built mostly on man-made lakes or reservoirs, where tides and saltwater will not impact the panels, floating solar projects turn beneficial use space into clean energy. Innovative approaches to clean energy, like Canoe Brook, are increasingly important in densely populated areas, such as New Jersey. “Floating solar technology creates new opportunities for underutilized bodies of water, allowing space that would otherwise sit vacant to enable large-scale renewable energy generation, which helps to bring the benefits of clean energy to even more customers,” said Robert Pohlman, Vice President of NJR Clean Energy Ventures. “As a leader in New Jersey’s solar marketplace, we look forward to working with New Jersey American Water to support its power needs and advance the state’s clean energy and climate goals.” “As the state’s largest water and wastewater utility company, it is essential for us to be good stewards of the environment by operating efficiently and in a manner that helps protect our natural resources,” said Mark McDonough, president of New Jersey American Water. “This initiative provides a meaningful reduction of traditional energy use that benefits the environment, as well as our customers through limited capital expense and reduced power costs.” "Sound and consistent investment in renewable energy is critical to reducing climate pollution and the resulting flooding, wildfire, and extreme heat repeatedly harming New Jersey's communities and economy," said Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette. "The Canoe Brook Floating Solar Facility project is an example of innovative leadership by critical partners in business and industry working hard to ensure the Garden State reduces its climate risk. My Department of Environmental Protection colleagues and I congratulate NJR Clean Energy Ventures and New Jersey American Water for their work on this project.” “We are proud to see the largest floating solar facility in North America be built in New Jersey, It truly underscores the efforts that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities puts towards a diverse, clean, energy future,” said Commissioner Mary-Anna Holden of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. The Canoe Brook solar facility was placed into full commercial operation in January 2023. In addition to providing sustainable, clean energy, the array provides other benefits. The solar power produced is equal to removing 8,121 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere compared to traditional power sources. Floating solar panels can also help reduce evaporation, which protects the water source and benefits the environment. Since 2009, CEV has invested over $1 billion in commercial and residential solar projects. As one of the largest solar owner/operators in that state, today it maintains 65 commercial solar assets across four states and a portfolio of more than 440 MW of installed capacity. Canoe Brook is the second floating solar project in CEV’s portfolio. The first, a 4.4 MW array located in Sayreville, New Jersey, was placed into commercial operation in 2020. About New Jersey American Water New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.8 million people. For more information, visit www.newjerseyamwater.com and follow New Jersey American Water on Twitter and Facebook. About New Jersey Resources New Jersey Resources is a Fortune 1000 company that, through its subsidiaries, provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution, asset management and home services. NJR is composed of five primary businesses: New Jersey Natural Gas, NJR’s principal subsidiary, operates and maintains over 7,700 miles of natural gas transportation and distribution infrastructure to serve over 570,000 customers in New Jersey’s Monmouth, Ocean and parts of Morris, Middlesex, Sussex and Burlington counties. Clean Energy Ventures invests in, owns and operates solar projects with a total capacity of approximately 440 megawatts, providing residential and commercial customers with low-carbon solutions. Energy Services manages a diversified portfolio of natural gas transportation and storage assets and provides physical natural gas services and customized energy solutions to its customers across North America. Storage and Transportation serves customers from local distributors and producers to electric generators and wholesale marketers through its ownership of Leaf River and the Adelphia Gateway Pipeline, as well as our 50% equity ownership in the Steckman Ridge natural gas storage facility. Home Services provides service contracts as well as heating, central air conditioning, water heaters, standby generators, solar and other indoor and outdoor comfort products to residential homes throughout New Jersey. NJR and its over 1,300 employees are committed to helping customers save energy and money by promoting conservation and encouraging efficiency through Conserve to Preserve® and initiatives such as The SAVEGREEN Project® and The Sunlight Advantage.

Read More

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