(Credit: Sol Systems)Sol Systems, a national solar energy company, has partnered with Google to develop a unique renewable energy procurement and investment strategy. The goal of this partnership is to support the development of new solar energy projects and provide aid to local communities where the projects are being built.
This strategy includes an integrated clean energy investment and procurement plan for solar projects being developed by Pine Gate Renewables in North and South Carolina. By providing capital, this strategy enables the development of 225 MWdc of new solar energy projects and 18 MW of battery storage resources. These assets are being developed in a region with relatively low renewable energy penetration and are of specific focus for Google and its 24/7 carbon-free energy goal.
"We are honored to be working with Google, a pioneer in renewable energy procurement and community investment," said Sol Systems' CEO Yuri Horwitz. "As they have in the past, they continue to provide leadership and innovation for our industry. We look forward to building on this work in the future."
In addition to supporting renewable energy projects, Google and Sol Systems will also deploy capital to seed critical investments into regional community organizations that serve under-resourced and minority communities. The investment will focus on reducing energy burden by enabling critical home pre-weatherization and safety upgrades to low- and moderate-income households. Four regional organizations, Roanoke Electric Cooperative (NC), Santee Electric Cooperative (SC), Aiken Electric Cooperative (SC), and the Sustainability Institute of South Carolina, will receive initial funding from the partnership.
"By 2030, we're aiming for every Google data center to operate on clean energy every hour of every day. As we work toward this goal, we are committed to ensuring that the communities where we operate are actively benefiting from the clean energy transition," said Christopher Scott, Energy Lead at Google. "We're excited to partner with Sol Systems to not only bring new solar projects online to one of the most difficult grids to decarbonize but also work with them to help lower the energy burden in under-resourced communities through the clean energy transition."
Sol Systems and Google's partnership is a significant milestone in the advancement of renewable energy projects in under-resourced and minority communities. The companies' support for the development of such projects, as well as their aid to local communities, is positively impacting the environment and the lives of individuals residing in these areas.
“Through our new partnership with Sol Systems and Google, Aiken Electric Cooperative (AEC) will be able to continue its mission of powering and empowering our local communities. For 85 years, AEC has provided electricity and various other services to our cooperative members that improve their quality of life. Our goal is to utilize these funds by completing health and safety home repairs and other initiatives for eligible participants of our “Help My House” program. This team effort will make a noticeable difference in the lives of those in our local community, and that’s what it’s all about,” said Gary Stooksbury, CEO of Aiken Electric Cooperative.
