San Bernardino, CA – Electrify America has officially broken ground on Solar Glow 1, a new solar photovoltaic renewable energy generation project located in San Bernardino County, California. The project was first announced last year and is the result of a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with developer Terra-Gen.
“Electrify America has always been focused on driving sustainability forward, which extends beyond electric vehicles and charging and into the energy needed to power the EV revolution,” said Rob Barrosa, Vice President of Technology at Electrify America. “Our customers can feel proud that every charge they make on our network is backed by 100% renewable energy, and today’s groundbreaking of Solar Glow 1 showcases our future and represents our company’s values.”
This investment is expected to generate 75 Megawatts (MW) at peak solar capacity, or an estimated annual production of 225,000 Megawatt hours. Jigar Shah, Head of Energy Services at Electrify America, said, “The groundbreaking of Solar Glow 1 is an important step towards additional annual renewable energy generation comparable to the energy used by over 20,000 American homes annually.”
Even though the new solar facility is not expected to be online until late summer, all energy delivered to customers on Electrify America’s coast-to-coast public, ultra-fast DC charging network is already backed by 100% renewable energy. The company has committed to a net-zero carbon footprint for energy delivered to drivers charging on its network through the purchase of environmental certificates and an interim VPPA with Terra-Gen’s existing Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) IX solar thermal plant.
In total, these commitments address Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions for all energy delivered to Electrify America’s customers charging on its network. The investment in Solar Glow 1 is expected to result in an estimated 2 million metric tons in avoided CO2 emissions over 15 years, which is comparable to the carbon sequestered by planting nearly 40 million trees.
Electrify America is North America’s largest open electric vehicle fast charging network to enter into a virtual power purchase agreement for new renewable energy generation. This new construction contributes to “additionality,” by producing new renewable energy that may not otherwise be available.
