.jpg)
ENERGY
Vicinity Energy | April 10, 2023
Vicinity Energy, a national decarbonization leader with an extensive portfolio of district energy systems across the United States, announced its partnership with Augsburg, Germany-based MAN Energy Solutions to collaborate in the development of low-temperature source heat pump systems for steam generation. Vicinity plans to install an industrial-scale heat pump complex at its Kendall Station facility by 2026.
“Vicinity’s first heat pump complex in Cambridge, MA, which draws from proven examples in Europe, will be the largest in the U.S. It will be powered by renewable electricity to safely and efficiently harvest energy from the Charles River, returning it at a lower temperature," says Bill DiCroce, president and CEO of Vicinity Energy. “We have made a lot of progress harvesting the energy of the sun and wind, MAN’s cutting-edge technology will now enable Vicinity to renewably harvest energy at scale from rivers and oceans, which are presently warming from the effects of climate change. This is a big deal in district energy’s efforts to decarbonize cities, and Vicinity is very proud to lead the way with MAN in this exciting venture.”
“The heating sector accounts for 30-40 percent of global CO2 emissions. The global energy transition cannot succeed without decarbonizing heat,” says Uwe Lauber, CEO and CSO of MAN Energy Solutions. “At the same time, district heating systems are one of the most efficient and sustainable ways to provide heat to commercial buildings and industrial facilities. Hence the task is to reduce district heating systems’ dependence on fossil fuel-fired heat sources. Our heat pump technology can do that, with many examples in the European field to prove it. I am very happy to collaborate with Vicinity Energy on the application of our technology to support Vicinity’s impressive district energy system.”
The race to net zero
This announcement represents another significant step in Vicinity's plans to electrify its operations to achieve net zero. In 2022, the company kicked off its electrification strategy by deconstructing a steam turbine at its Kendall Facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In its place, Vicinity is installing an industrial-scale electric boiler that will begin supplying carbon-free eSteam™ to customers in 2024.
The company’s other 11 locations in major cities nationwide will undergo similar electrification processes in the coming years to achieve its goal of net zero by 2050.
About Vicinity Energy
Vicinity Energy is a clean energy company that owns and operates an extensive portfolio of district energy systems across the United States. Vicinity produces and distributes reliable, clean steam, hot water, and chilled water to over 230 million square feet of building space nationwide. The company is committed to achieving net zero carbon across its portfolio by 2050. It continues to invest in its infrastructure and the latest technologies to accelerate the decarbonization of commercial and institutional buildings in city centers.
Read More
ENERGY
businesswire | May 04, 2023
Leading US distributed energy company Aspen Power announced that the company has developed or acquired more than 100 solar projects in Massachusetts. Following Aspen Power's acquisition of Safari Energy in 2022, the company’s footprint in the state now totals 36.5 megawatts (MW) of capacity with 90,790 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity produced to date. That’s the equivalent of the electricity use of more than 12,000 homes per year or avoiding more than 64,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from entering the atmosphere.1
“The Commonwealth’s ambitious, coordinated climate policy leadership has made it a key focal point of our development strategy and aligns well with our dual mission to accelerate and democratize decarbonization,” said Jackson Lehr, Co-Founder & CFO of Aspen Power. “The SMART Program in particular continues to promote development in a way that benefits diverse stakeholders and supports the continued deployment of local, clean energy.”
The Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program, which provides financial incentives directly to solar system owners, has resulted in an especially strong market for C&I solar across the state. SMART incentives have also made Massachusetts an attractive market for community solar and increased access to clean, renewable energy for many low-moderate income (LMI) communities across the state.
Notable Projects in Massachusetts
Aspen Power’s Massachusetts portfolio includes a diverse array of solar projects ranging in size, deal structure, and technology type. Among the 100 projects developed or acquired in Massachusetts, the largest is a 3.4 MW multi-phase solar rooftop and solar parking canopy project at the Natick Mall. Another distinctive project in Canton, MA is unique because it includes three different types of solar technologies – a rooftop array, parking canopy, and ground mount system – all in one project totaling 1.6 MW. Aspen continues to develop new projects throughout the state, including a ground-mounted community solar array expected to come online in 2024.
Aspen Power serves a variety of market segments in Massachusetts, with customers consisting of commercial and industrial businesses, public sector entities, retail centers, warehouse and storage facilities, and community solar subscribers. Aspen’s projects in the state range from community centers like the Boys and Girls Club in Newton, to ice rinks and apartment buildings in Stoneham and Ashland; there are solar installations at schools ranging from elementary level to universities like Tufts, as well as fitness centers, transit authorities and more. These diverse projects span multiple utility service territories including Eversource and National Grid. You can see more of these projects in the MA Project Gallery on our website.
To date, Aspen Power has developed or acquired more than 600 projects nationwide from Maine to Hawaii. Backed by global investment firm Carlyle, Aspen is one of the largest distributed generation independent power producers (IPPs) in the country, adding more than 50 staff and 220+ MW of operating assets to its portfolio through its acquisition of Safari Energy in 2022. Aspen’s early-stage project expertise, flexible financing solutions, and customer-centric approach continue to lead the company to new industry milestones such as this one and solidify it as a leader in the distributed generation space.
About Aspen Power
Aspen Power is a distributed energy generation platform with the dual mission of accelerating and democratizing decarbonization. We partner with businesses, communities, and others in the industry to develop, construct, and operate renewable energy assets. Our experienced team is passionate about solving our customers’ energy challenges to deliver a sustainable future throughout the U.S.
Read More
ENERGY
Canadian Solar Inc. | March 16, 2023
Canadian Solar Inc., a solar technology and renewable energy company, has recently announced that its three solar power projects in Japan, particularly in Gunma Takasaki, Oita Kitsuki, and Yamaguchi Hofu, have reached their commercial operation in early 2023, totaling about 42 MWp.
Canadian Solar's bifacial BiHiKu modules powered these projects. The grid operators from the respective areas purchased the energy generated from the projects through Japan's feed-in-tariff program. This purchase would continue for about 19 years at the rates of JPY32 (US$0.24), JPY14.49 (US$0.11), and JPY14.25 (US$0.10) per kWh in approximation. The projects would produce about 53,000 MWh of renewable energy. This energy will power over 15,000 households and avoid approximately 24,000 tons of carbon emissions per year. It is delivering more clean, safe and affordable solar energy to the world. Of the total project pipeline, 2.9 GWp of projects are in late-stage development and have secured energy offtake agreements. In addition, it has a geographically diversified utility-scale solar power project pipeline of around 10 GWp.
Chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar Inc., Dr. Shawn Qu said, "We are delighted to be part of the green transformation that Japan is going through with these additions to our portfolio. Our teams worked closely with the local communities and governments to bring these projects to fruition. Working closely with the local community to cultivate a sustainable long-term relationship is one of our ESG sustainable development goals. Canadian Solar's Sustainability Report provides a detailed discussion on our ESG goals, targets and approaches."
(Source – Cision PR Newswire)
About Canadian Solar Inc.
Headquartered in Guelph, Ontario, Canadian Solar Inc., a renewable energy semiconductor manufacturing company, offers solutions for solar projects, solar panels, PV applications, bankability, solar modules, solar farms, renewable energy, and sustainability. It has been working as a global energy and solar energy solutions provider and solar PV modules manufacturer since 2001. It has conducted successful business subsidiaries in different countries and delivered about 55 GW of solar modules worldwide. It runs solar power projects and plants with the commercial operation, with a resale value of approximately US$1.2 billion. It was listed as Bloomberg New Energy Finance's Tier 1 Module Manufacturer in bankability for Q4 2018. GTM Research named it the Top 3 Global Utility-scale Solar PV Project Developer for 2017.
Read More