SunEdison, Inc. (NYSE: SUNE) has announced a partnership with Green Charge Networks to deliver solar plus energy storage systems to Silicon Valley Power and other commercial and municipal customers throughout California.
Electricity bills for commercial and municipal customers in California often have energy and demand charges – with demand charges accounting for as much as 50% of a bill’s total.
Solar and energy storage can return significant savings on both portions of a customer’s bill; with the latter reducing the amount of electricity required at any given time from the mains grid.
“Solar plus energy storage is a great way for California customers to realize immediate savings,” said Tim Derrick, SunEdison general manager of Advanced Solutions. “By partnering with Green Charge, we’re able to deliver a complete solution and address our customers’ total energy bill.”
The solar plus storage system is located at a parking structure; adjacent to a new football stadium in Santa Clara. The solar component of the system has generated more than 1.18 gigawatt hours of clean energy so far, enough electricity to power 112 homes.
Under the partnership with Green Charge Networks, other California commercial and municipal customers will be able to install a solar plus storage system with zero upfront costs by signing a power purchase agreement (solar PPA) with SunEdison and a power efficiency agreement with Green Charge.
Closer to home, SunEdison Australia is preparing to add battery storage options to its Australian residential solar power system product lineup – including SunEdison Energy Plan.
In other recent SunEdison news, the world’s largest renewable energy developer announced the completion of a 1MW solar power plant built over a canal in India. The solar array was constructed for Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Ltd (KBJNL), the Karnataka government agency responsible for the Krishna River and Dam.
Canal top solar power systems not only provide clean energy, but also reduce evaporation and algal growth by shading the water below. In addition to also conserving valuable land area, these systems operate at cooler temperatures than conventional ground mount systems, generating more electricity as a result.
“SunEdison is extremely proud to successfully install and commission this canal top system on the banks of the Krishna River for the Karnataka government,” said Pashupathy Gopalan, president of SunEdison Asia-Pacific. ” It is wonderful to see other state governments embrace this innovative use of solar technology, which was pioneered by SunEdison for the Narmada Canal Top Project in Gujarat in 2012.”
