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Mayor Jon Mitchell was joined today by clean energy partners to mark the commissioning of a new 4.1 megawatt (MW) solar power facility, the “Tom Davis Solar Project,” located in the New Bedford Business Park. The Project will supply the City of New Bedford with clean, affordable energy.
The Project was developed by SunEdison, the world’s largest renewable energy development company, in partnership with BlueWave Capital LLC, a Boston-based solar developer. The City of New Bedford is the primary customer for the energy produced by the Project, with Cape Cod Community College also contracting for a portion of the power produced.
Milestone for City of New Bedford’s Green Energy Agenda
Under Mayor Mitchell, the City of New Bedford has pursued an ambitious, nation-leading effort over the past few years to reduce city government’s utility costs and its carbon footprint by securing deeply discounted “green” power from both solar and wind sources.
With today’s commissioning, the City now has ten large-scale solar projects totaling 16 megawatts in operation. The original goal of the Initiative had been to secure 10 megawatts of solar energy.
The City of New Bedford has more installed solar capacity per capita than any other municipality in the continental United States. All together the City’s ten solar (and one wind turbine project) will supply two-thirds of local government’s power needs, and save taxpayers nearly $30 million over the next twenty years. New Bedford’s municipal facilities, which number nearly 100 structures including school buildings, use about 40 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year.
The Tom Davis Solar Project will produce enough electricity each year to power more than 460 homes, and is expected to eliminate the emission of 3,700 tons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of taking more than 706 cars off the road.
Under a twenty-year power purchase contract negotiated with SunEdison, the Project will supply the City with 4.1 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually at an 18% discount. The discounted price is projected to save the City taxpayers $120,000 over the coming year and $2.6 million over the next twenty years.
The Project, located in the New Bedford Business Park was co-developed by BlueWave Capital and SunEdison. It is officially dedicated to and named after Tom Davis, former Executive Director of the Greater New Bedford Industrial Foundation. Mr. Davis, a long-time leader in the New Bedford area, played a prominent role in the development of the solar park and was on-site at the Project commissioning today to witness the unveiling of the solar park sign that bears his name.
“What was once a modest local effort here in New Bedford has turned into one of the nation’s most ambitious moves to adopt solar,” said Mayor Mitchell. “Now, in addition to the City’s nine other solar projects in operation—and one wind project under construction—this Project is also quietly generating power, cutting utility bills, and saving taxpayer dollars. Our renewable energy power purchasing program is also strengthening the city’s economy and our environment in a big way. We have been called a model for the nation, and I think that is a very apt characterization.”
“New Bedford didn’t get to be a national leader by accident. With Mayor Mitchell’s leadership and a great team of public servants, and very talented professionals from SunEdison, BlueWave and ProTech this project represents another star on the solar scoreboard for the City,” said John DeVillars, Managing Principal of BlueWave Capital. “And it’s especially sweet to dedicate this, our fifth solar project for the City, to Tom Davis who has put a few stars on the board for the City himself over the years!”
“This is the third system that SunEdison and Bluewave have developed for the City under Mayor Mitchell’s Administration,” said Steve Raeder, SunEdison managing director of distributed generation eastern USA. “And this solar power plant helps exceed the City’s original solar goals. New Bedford is a shining example of how municipalities can save money and reduce their carbon footprint with solar.”
