(Cutting the ribbon to celebrate the completion of a new solar + storage project at IBEW Local 103 in Dorchester, MA are Bernard Treml, Department of Labor; Representative Dan Hunt; Representative Jeff Roy; Nexamp CEO Zaid Ashai; IBEW Local 103 Business Manager Lou Antonellis; and Boston City Councilor Frank Baker. Credit: IBEW)The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 103 completed a solar and energy storage project at IBEW's headquarters in Dorchester, MA. The project will provide IBEW with annual savings on energy costs and supplemental power in the event of a local power outage and is an example of how the Massachusetts solar developer community and organized labor can transition to a clean and resilient electric grid. IBEW partnered with Nexamp for the project.
The project comes at a key time with the recent passage of state and federal legislation that will speed the development of renewable energy and create clean energy jobs for more Americans. Just two months ago, President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest single investment in clean energy in US history. And just a couple of months prior, in Massachusetts, Governor Baker signed into law an act driving clean energy and offshore wind, the second climate bill in two years aimed at supercharging the state's transition to a clean energy future. Together, these bills will accelerate renewable energy development and help bring more projects, like the one at IBEW Local 103, online.
IBEW's combined solar and storage system, designed and installed by Nexamp and Lynnwell Associates, will provide enough energy to meet nearly 70% of the electricity needs of IBEW's headquarters. Combining the solar generation with energy storage has the added cost saving benefit of enabling IBEW to store solar power when electricity prices are low and use it when prices are high. It can also provide much needed backup power during disruptions caused by increasingly frequent and intense storms.
Mark Frigo, Nexamp Vice President of Energy Storage explained in a press release, "We've seen a significant spike in interest in energy storage among commercial customers over the past year as the technology has improved and the benefits are becoming more apparent. The project with IBEW is one of our first behind-the-meter applications and is a great example of how storage is able to address rising energy costs as well as an increased need for resiliency."
The partnership with Nexamp is one of IBEW's many efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, reduce energy costs, and increase energy efficiency. This project will complement other upgrades completed by IBEW, including façade-mounted solar panels and a wind turbine that provide power to the group's training center, wind-powered EV charging stations in the parking lot and solar-powered off-grid LED parking lot lights. All of these projects will provide training opportunities for IBEW members who will be installing the advanced technologies that are at the heart of the clean energy transition.
This project represents an ongoing relationship between Nexamp and IBEW, with Nexamp acting as the long-term operator of this system, working closely with IBEW to ensure optimum efficiency and performance over the life of the project. The system pairs 220 kW DC of solar generation on IBEW's roof with a ground-mounted, 200 kWh AC-coupled, lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) located behind the meter, providing 265,000 kWh of electricity per year.
