Standard Solar has purchased a 4.69 MW solar project and a 4 MWh storage facility 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.
The Lawsbrook Solar + Storage is located in Acton (Mass.) on land owned Acton Water District. It is expected that the system will generate 5,866 MWh annually. The project was built on the W.R. Grace Superfund Site. It was awarded in 2018 via an RFP to EDF Renewables. 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 was previously disturbed by gravel extraction. It is also included in the larger W.R. Grace Superfund Site. Because of the sensitive nature of the site, approvals were required at all levels of the federal, state, and local governments to permit the project.
“Standard Solar is a leader in forwarding the clean energy movement throughout the nation,” says Eric Partyka, director of business development at Standard Solar. “Adding this solar+storage project to our existing portfolio in Massachusetts underscores our rapid growth. 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 currently owns or maintains almost 20 MW in Massachusetts and nearly 280 MW of commercial- and community-scale 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 Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources created the SMART Program in 2016. It is a long-term, sustainable incentive program for solar development. The new Lawsbrook solar-storage project will help Massachusetts meet its Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard, as well as their newly codified 2030 and 2050 goals to create a statewide clean electricity economy.