Googles Leans on EDP Renewables to Support Solar-Focused Environmental Justice Program

Richard Dovere’s Name Google and EDPR North America Distributed Generation LLC (EDPR NA DG) have entered into an arrangement that will aid over 80 distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) projects of a combined 500 megawatts (MW AC). The eco-friendly program has been designed to benefit over 25,000 families within low to moderate income neighborhoods and the initial focus is on activities in the PJM Interconnection service area which covers the states of New Jersey and Ohio. Google’s project in Ohio, christened the Clean Energy Financial Benefit Sharing Program, will be supported by Google’s acquisition of a unique renewable energy credit, named ImpactREC. This endeavour will be financed partly through this purchase. The ImpactREC works the same way as other conventional Renewable Energy Certificates, and it’s able to be generated in, and to qualify for, whatever compliance markets are relevant. However, its production comes with certain pledges to ensure direct investment by the community and direct advantage to low-income and minority individuals. The EDPR NA DG team, headed by Christopher Rittenhouse and Adam Woda, worked together with Google in the past two years to design and create ImpactREC as well as the support agreement that goes along with it. ImpactREC offers benefits of community solar in places where the legislature is not helpful. After interviewing with members of the community, mainly those in charge of environmental affairs and local leaders, it was highlighted that a great burden of high energy costs prevents a fair transition to a more energy savvy society. Working together with EDPR NA DG, we intend to decrease the amount of energy expenditure in areas that we supervise, while also moving closer to the objective of 24/7 emission-free energy,” declares Sana Ouji, Google’s energy specialist. Along with this, the program involves the setting up of a community influence fund with a value of $12 million. The fund concentrates on plans which mitigate energy deprivation in the locations where the endeavors are carried out.