Affordable housing authorities across Rhode Island are beginning to benefit from a solar portfolio that will save the housing authorities money while supplying Rhode Island’s grid with clean energy.
Nautilus Solar completed the first and largest of three solar installations, Exeter Mail, a 6.5 MW solar installation in Exeter, Rhode Island. Nine different affordable housing authorities will benefit from the three installations.
Veolia expects the installations will reduce energy costs by more than $35 million over the next 20 years. The solar installations, which total over 13 MW, will provide about 20 GWh annually to housing authorities in Providence, North Providence, Newport, Cranston, Smithfield, Warwick, Warren, Bristol and Lincoln.
The renewable energy contract is a bit different in that it encompasses multiple housing authorities under the same agreement. The contract makes use of Rhode Island’s virtual net metering program, which provides utility bill credits for solar grid exports at the prevailing retail rate, a Veolia spokesperson told pv magazine USA. Virtual net metering enables multiple utility accounts to share net energy metering credits.
Virtual Net Metering allows eligible customers to connect their electric load regardless of whether the renewable system is located on the customers’ properties. Eligible virtual net metering customers include public entity, educational institution, hospital, municipality, multi-municipal collaborative, or commercial or industrial customer as applicable. Virtual Net Metering projects are eligible up to 10 MW per project site.
(Also read: Rhode Island weighs bills to quash solar incentives, net-metering)
The virtual net-metered projects will supply clean energy to the grid within Rhode Island Energy’s territory. In exchange, the market value from the energy generated at the projects will be distributed among the housing authorities as utility bill credits. The credits will generate savings against prevailing electricity supply rates.
For Rhode Island’s public housing, these savings means the installations will not only provide better air quality, but better affordable housing as well.
“Every housing authority in Rhode Island is working to provide the highest quality affordable housing possible with limited budgets,” Robert Coupe, the Association of Public Housing Authorities across Rhode Island (PHARI) co-president and executive director of Cranston Housing Authority, said in a statement. “Our partnership with Veolia and Nautilus dramatically reduces utility costs, freeing up valuable resources to invest in property maintenance, facility improvements and operational support. By supporting the growth of renewable energy projects, we are improving the quality of life for future generations while enhancing our ability to serve current residents.”
Nautilus Solar is the projects’ sole developer. As the long-term owner of the portfolio, Nautilus will also be responsible for the projects’ ongoing management and maintaining their lifetime performance, estimated at 25 to 30 years.
First announced in 2021, Veolia advised PHARI, which through its SourceOne brand, has been advising PHARI on energy decisions for over ten years.
Nautilus currently operates and manages 146 solar projects across 12 states, serving over 45,000 subscribers.
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