Charged EVs | Electrify America’s Solar Glow 1 project will power its entire charging network with solar energy

Charging network operator Electrify America has entered into a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with developer Terra-Gen to build a solar photovoltaic project in California’s Mojave Desert.

The Electrify America Solar Glow 1 project is expected to have a peak capacity of 75 MW, and estimated annual energy production of 225,000 MWh—enough to more than offset the energy delivered to Electrify America’s EV charging customers. The project is targeted to be operational by mid-2023.

Electrify America says its charging network is already backed by 100% renewable energy, through the purchase of environmental certificates from existing renewable generation. By entering into a VPPA, Electrify America will support the key sustainability goal of additionality, which is to say that the project will create new, additional renewable energy generation.

The solar project may also be expanded at the option of Terra-Gen to include a co-located battery energy storage system. This would add to Electrify America’s ongoing effort to deploy over 30 MW of co-located behind-the-meter energy storage systems at its charging stations across the US.

“Electrify America’s business model—and purpose—have always been at the forefront of efforts to reduce emissions through enabling electric mobility,” said Giovanni Palazzo, CEO of Electrify America. “Our commitment to customers and to a sustainable future go hand-in-hand, which is why we are investing in renewable energy generation to commit to a net-zero carbon footprint associated with the energy delivered to our customers.”

Source: Electrify America