On November 20, Dimension Renewable Vitality will likely be joined by main elected officers, state regulators and business companions to have a good time one of many state’s first shared photo voltaic services — a 5-MW venture in Waynesboro, Virginia, that can deliver low-cost clear power to 1,200 close by low-income households.
The venture, known as Waynesboro Bridge Photo voltaic, is one in all 12 photo voltaic services developed, owned and operated by Dimension that will likely be first to go reside beneath the state’s shared photo voltaic program. The portfolio will likely be subscribed to by practically 10,000 low-income households and generate over $20 million in financial savings for these subscribers.
In contrast to utility-scale or rooftop photo voltaic, shared photo voltaic or group photo voltaic, permits renters, small companies and owners who lack ample roof house or can not afford their very own photo voltaic panels to subscribe to the shared photo voltaic facility and decrease their electrical payments.
“On account of years of laborious work getting Virginia’s shared photo voltaic program off the bottom, Virginians will now be capable to take management of their electrical invoice and take part within the clear power economic system with out having to purchase their very own photo voltaic panels or personal a house,” mentioned Bryan Bentrott, VP of origination at Dimension.
Dimension’s Waynesboro Bridge venture will present reduced-cost clear power to close by Virginians, together with residents of Group Housing Companions (CHP) properties in Dominion Vitality’s service territory. CHP is an inexpensive housing supplier that companions with Dimension to supply “CHP Photo voltaic Financial savings,” a shared photo voltaic subscription obtainable completely to their residents.
“Subscribers to the Waynesboro Bridge Photo voltaic venture can anticipate a assured month-to-month financial savings of 10%,” mentioned Angie Roberts-Dobbins, VP of resident companies at CHP. “Multiply that financial savings by the overall variety of subscribers the location can serve over its lifetime, and that interprets to $2.8 million that may be turned again into the native economic system.”
Shared photo voltaic is on the market to all clients, residential and business, in Dominion Vitality service territory; nonetheless, program participation is capped at 150 MW and is additional restricted by additional on-bill prices assessed particularly on subscribers by Dominion Vitality. Clients of Appalachian Energy presently should not have entry to a shared photo voltaic program. In final yr’s legislative session, efforts to develop the Dominion program and create a program in Appalachian Energy territory stalled within the Home of Delegates because of utility opposition after passing the state Senate.
“Shared Photo voltaic is launching with the completion of those initiatives and the hundreds of households they may serve, however we’d like legislative motion to deliver Shared Photo voltaic to extra Virginians. We’re able to construct on bipartisan help to make Shared Photo voltaic broadly obtainable throughout the Commonwealth,” mentioned Charlie Coggeshall, Mid-Atlantic regional director of CCSA. “An expanded program can deliver billions of {dollars} in advantages from avoiding utility infrastructure construct out that advantages all utility clients. CCSA is wanting ahead to the subsequent legislative session the place we will likely be quantifying these advantages and supporting new laws to deliver these advantages to fruition.”
Along with delivering month-to-month financial savings for subscribers, the Waynesboro Bridge Photo voltaic venture has created over 40 new native jobs for contractors, electricians, engineers, surveyors and upkeep crews. Additionally it is contributing over $550,000 in actual property tax income for Augusta County.
Information merchandise from Dimension Renewable Vitality
