Cambridge, Massachusetts, has signed the largest-ever digital energy buy settlement (VPPA) by a US metropolis to assist construct a utility-scale photo voltaic farm in Illinois.
The 135 megawatt (MW) undertaking on 800 acres in Champaign County, referred to as Prairie Photo voltaic, will add clear power to the grid, and Cambridge will earn renewable power certificates (RECs) for making it attainable.
These credit will profit residents and companies enrolled in Cambridge’s Group Electrical energy Program, which already affords secure and aggressive electrical energy charges. This marks Cambridge’s second main renewable power deal, following final yr’s VPPA for a wind farm in North Dakota. Collectively, these tasks are accelerating the town’s efforts to chop carbon emissions extra successfully than ready for the Massachusetts grid to go totally renewable by 2050.
Dennis Carlberg, chief sustainability officer at Boston College, stated, “For the reason that New England Grid is among the cleanest within the nation, and these tasks are in grids slower to transition, they need to cut back almost twice the worldwide greenhouse gasoline emissions than if the identical tasks have been positioned within the greening New England grid. That is really outstanding work that I hope others will replicate.”
Why photo voltaic in Illinois?
The Prairie Photo voltaic undertaking, anticipated to return on-line in summer time 2026, might be constructed close to a former coal mine. Illinois residents will profit from new jobs, native funding, and improved air high quality on prime of the clear electrical energy the undertaking will generate.
Julie Wormser, Cambridge’s chief local weather officer, put it this fashion: “Stopping carbon emissions in Cambridge or Illinois has the very same impression on the worldwide local weather. It’s going to enable us to make an even bigger distinction extra rapidly and cheaply than, say, pursuing smaller rooftop photo voltaic inside metropolis limits whereas offering native advantages to individuals in Illinois.”
This strategy additionally helps Cambridge attain its sustainability targets with out being restricted by its small measurement and dense city footprint. With 120,000 individuals in simply 6.5 sq. miles, there isn’t sufficient house for the town to generate all its personal energy regionally. That’s the place methods like VPPAs come into play.
Ellen Katz from Cambridge’s Division of Public Works defined the logic: “Renewable tasks, like this VPPA, take advantage of distinction as a result of they exchange extra carbon-intensive gasoline sources, like coal, in comparison with Massachusetts, the place a lot of the electrical energy is fueled by pure gasoline.”
How Cambridge’s VPPA works
Cambridge’s 50 MW digital energy buy settlement doesn’t ship electrical energy on to the town. As a substitute, it commits to buying renewable power certificates from the undertaking, which helps the developer safe financing to construct the photo voltaic farm. The Prairie Photo voltaic undertaking might be owned and operated by renewable firm MN8 Vitality, whereas Sustainability Roundtable Inc. facilitated the deal by their Web Zero Consortium for Consumers.
When Prairie Photo voltaic comes on-line, greater than half (55%) of the facility within the Commonplace Inexperienced possibility in Cambridge’s Group Electrical energy Program will come from renewable power. Residents can already decide to purchase 100% renewable energy at a barely greater price.
Cambridge’s clear power technique
Cambridge isn’t stopping at VPPAs. Town continues to spend money on its personal yard with energy-efficient buildings, geothermal techniques, and photo voltaic installations. Native applications are additionally serving to residents and companies section out fossil gasoline use.
Town has dedicated to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, and an enormous chunk of its carbon air pollution comes from buildings and transportation. Whereas the Massachusetts grid is on observe to be 100% renewable by 2050, Cambridge is dashing up the transition by supporting new photo voltaic and wind tasks the place they’re wanted most.
Cambridge Metropolis Supervisor Yi-An Huang summed up: “We’re rising the quantity of renewable power getting constructed – whether or not it’s right here in Cambridge or different components of the nation.”
What do you consider Cambridge’s large VPPA? Tell us within the feedback under.
Learn extra: Wisconsin’s strongest photo voltaic farm simply bought the go-ahead
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