Electrify America announced today (Aug 15) the start of commercial operation for the new 75 Megawatt (MW) Electrify America Solar Glow 1 solar photovoltaic renewable energy generation project in San Bernardino County, CA, announced last year. Electrify America Solar Glow 1 is the result of a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with developer Terra-Gen.
Electrify America's Solar Glow 1, a milestone Renewable Energy Generation Solar Project, is expected to produce 225 Gigawatt-Hours annually to help offset energy carbon footprint for electric vehicle charging energy delivered.
Electrify America is the largest open network of DC fast chargers for electric vehicles in the U.S. to enter into a virtual power purchase agreement for new renewable energy generation. This brand new construction contributes to 'additionality,' by producing new renewable energy that may not otherwise be available.
"Electrify America Solar Glow 1 is an important milestone in our commitment to reduce our energy carbon footprint," said Robert Barrosa, President and CEO of Electrify America. "Electrify America is committed to being a part of the broader charging solution for EV drivers today and in the future."
This investment is expected to generate 75 MW at peak solar capacity, which is comparable to the power drawn by 500 EVs charging at once at an average speed of 150 kilowatts. The total annual production is projected at 225 Gigawatt-hours (GWh).
In 2022, Electrify America powered more than 5 million customer charging sessions or 3.5 times the sessions in 2021. These sessions delivered roughly 173 GWh of electricity, enabling an estimated 493 million miles of electric driving and avoided consumption of roughly 21 million gallons of gasoline.
"We expect the demand on our charging network to continue to rise with the increase in EV ownership," said Jigar Shah, Director of Energy Services at Electrify America. "Solar Glow 1 adds new additional 100% renewable energy generation with estimated annual production that exceeds our 2022 network usage."
"This solar project is a significant accomplishment reinforcing our commitment in 2022 to back all energy delivered to customers on Electrify America's coast-to-coast public, ultra-fast DC charging network with 100% renewable energy," Barrosa said.
The Electrify America Solar Glow 1 project is located in San Bernardino County, CA. It has over 200,000 solar panels and encompasses an area over one square mile.
More information on Solar Glow 1 and Electrify America's VPPA investment is available here.
To view / download a video of Electrify America's Solar Glow 1 - Click Here
For Broadcast B-Roll of Electrify America's Solar Glow 1 - Click Here
To access a digital photo of Electrify America's Solar Glow 1 - Click Here
For Audio Soundbites from Jigar Shah, Director of Energy Services - Click Here
About Electrify America
Electrify America LLC, the largest open DC fast charging network in the U.S., is investing more than $2 billion in Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure, and access. The investment will enable millions of Americans to discover the benefits of electric driving and support the build-out of a nationwide network of ultra-fast community and highway chargers that are convenient and reliable. Electrify America currently operates in 46 states and the District of Columbia, supporting increased ZEV adoption with a network that is comprehensive, technologically advanced and customer friendly.
Electrify America earned the 2020 and 2021 "EV Charging Infrastructure Best-in-Test" award from umlaut, an infrastructure and benchmarking specialist, now part of Accenture, as published in Charged Electric Vehicles Magazine. Electrify America's Electrify Home® offers home charging solutions for consumers with flexible installation options. Electrify Commercial® provides expert solutions for businesses looking to develop electric vehicle charging programs.
For more information, visit www.electrifyamerica.com and media.electrifyamerica.com.
About Terra-Gen
Terra-Gen, LLC is a leading U.S. developer, owner, and operator of utility-scale renewable energy projects in North America. The company has successfully developed over 5 GW of wind, solar and energy storage. Terra-Gen operates and maintains over 2.7 GW across 27 wind, solar and energy storage projects. Terra-Gen was formed in 2007 and is owned by ECP, a leading investor in infrastructure facilitating the energy transition, and Igneo Infrastructure Partners, a leading global asset manager. For more information, visit www.terra-gen.com.
