Standard Solar has acquired a 4.69 MW solar and 4 MWh storage project from EDF Renewables North America. The project received an award from the state’s Solar Massachusetts Renewable Targets (SMART) program, which provides incentives for solar and storage projects.
Located in Acton, Mass., on land owned by the Acton Water District, the Lawsbrook Solar + Storage system is expected to generate 5,866 MWh of clean energy each year. The project is built over the W.R. Grace Superfund Site and was awarded by way of an RFP to EDF Renewables in 2018. This project makes complimentary use of one of the district’s active groundwater well fields, which serves as part of the town’s drinking water supply. The property hosting the project is previously disturbed land from gravel extraction and is encompassed by the larger W.R. Grace Superfund Site. Due to the various environmental sensitivities on the site, permitting the project entailed receiving approvals at various levels of the federal, state and local governments.
Standard Solar currently owns and maintains nearly 20 MW in Massachusetts and 280 MW of commercial and community solar projects throughout the United States.
“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,” states Peter Bay, associate director of business development for EDF Renewables. “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 Acton Water District team have been fantastic partners on the project and have provided ample support in ensuring it’s a successful endeavor. We’re appreciative to have a reputable partner in Standard Solar as the long-term owner of the site.”
“After a few years of hard work by all involved, we are extremely excited to have this renewable energy project coming online,” comments Christ Allen, Acton Water District’s district manager. “In the water supply industry, we keenly understand the impacts of global climate change, and the role that reliance on fossil fuels plays. We’re committed to do our part by lowering our carbon footprint, as water and wastewater treatment are very energy intensive processes. Partnering with EDF Renewables, such a knowledgeable, experienced company, has given us a great deal of peace of mind endeavoring into technology where we have no experience.”
The SMART Program was created in 2016 by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and is a long-term sustainable solar incentive program designed to advance cost-effective solar development in the state. The new Lawsbrook solar and storage project will help the Commonwealth of Massachusetts reach its Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard as well as their recently codified 2030 and 2050 goals for a statewide clean energy economy.
