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) challenge on 800 acres in Champaign County, known as Prairie Photo voltaic, will add clear vitality to the grid, and Cambridge will earn renewable vitality certificates (RECs) for making it attainable.
These credit will profit residents and companies enrolled in Cambridge’s Neighborhood Electrical energy Program, which already presents steady and aggressive electrical energy charges. This marks Cambridge’s second main renewable vitality deal, following final yr’s VPPA for a wind farm in North Dakota. Collectively, these initiatives are accelerating the town’s efforts to chop carbon emissions extra successfully than ready for the Massachusetts grid to go absolutely renewable by 2050.
Dennis Carlberg, chief sustainability officer at Boston College, mentioned, “For the reason that New England Grid is likely one of the cleanest within the nation, and these initiatives are in grids slower to transition, they need to cut back practically twice the worldwide greenhouse gasoline emissions than if the identical initiatives had been positioned within the greening New England grid. That is actually exceptional work that I hope others will replicate.”
Why photo voltaic in Illinois?
The Prairie Photo voltaic challenge, anticipated to come back on-line in summer time 2026, will probably 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 challenge 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 can 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 folks in Illinois.”
This method additionally helps Cambridge attain its sustainability objectives with out being restricted by its small measurement and dense city footprint. With 120,000 folks in simply 6.5 sq. miles, there isn’t sufficient area for the town to generate all its personal energy domestically. That’s the place methods like VPPAs come into play.
Ellen Katz from Cambridge’s Division of Public Works defined the logic: “Renewable initiatives, like this VPPA, take advantage of distinction as a result of they change 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 vitality certificates from the challenge, which helps the developer safe financing to construct the photo voltaic farm. The Prairie Photo voltaic challenge will probably be owned and operated by renewable firm MN8 Power, whereas Sustainability Roundtable Inc. facilitated the deal by way of their Internet Zero Consortium for Consumers.
When Prairie Photo voltaic comes on-line, greater than half (55%) of the facility within the Commonplace Inexperienced choice in Cambridge’s Neighborhood Electrical energy Program will come from renewable vitality. Residents can already choose to purchase 100% renewable energy at a barely larger fee.
Cambridge’s clear vitality technique
Cambridge isn’t stopping at VPPAs. Town continues to put money into its personal yard with energy-efficient buildings, geothermal techniques, and photo voltaic installations. Native packages are additionally serving to residents and companies section out fossil gasoline use.
Town has dedicated to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, and a giant 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 rushing up the transition by supporting new photo voltaic and wind initiatives the place they’re wanted most.
Cambridge Metropolis Supervisor Yi-An Huang summed up: “We’re growing the quantity of renewable vitality getting constructed – whether or not it’s right here in Cambridge or different elements of the nation.”
What do you concentrate on Cambridge’s massive VPPA? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
Learn extra: Wisconsin’s strongest photo voltaic farm simply bought the go-ahead
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