SunRaise Investments LLC and Borrego Solar Systems Inc. have completed two solar-plus-storage projects under the new Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program.
The larger of the two projects is a 7.1 MW array located on a gravel pit in Winchendon, Mass. The project, comprising nearly 20,000 solar panels, is coupled with a 3.3 MW energy storage system.
The Winchendon facility is a community solar project, meaning that local homeowners and businesses can subscribe to the project and receive solar credits on their energy bills for the power produced.
The second of the two SMART projects is a 2.7 MW array located in Freetown, Mass. The project was awarded a program allocation under SMART through a competitive request for proposals conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resource in late 2017, making it one of the first SMART projects and the only project in the NSTAR Eversource service area awarded a SMART allocation under the competitive process, according to the companies.
Borrego Solar developed, engineered and constructed the Winchendon and Freetown projects, while SunRaise secured the construction and permanent financing and will remain the long-term owner and operator of the facilities. Together, the two projects will generate about 12.7 million kWh of electricity each year, which is enough energy to meet the energy demand of 1,688 average Massachusetts homes for a year.
