29 November 2016
Panels will Generate Electricity for 1,1oo Homes and Provide Power to GLOBALFOUNDRIES
Colchester, Vt. – Vermont’s newest solar facilities is now generating electricity in Williston and helping customers and Vermont’s largest manufacturer embrace the energy revolution. Owned by Green Mountain Power and located on land from GLOBALFOUNDRIES, the facility will generate more than 8 million kilowatt hours every year, or enough energy for more than 1,100 homes.
“As Vermont’s Energy Transformation Company, we are committed to keeping our energy costs down for our customers by developing clean, locally generated power,” said Mary Powell, President and CEO of Green Mountain Power. “We are excited to work with GLOBALFOUNDRIES to bring this solar array to life to benefit our customers and show once again how energy can be a force for good and economic development.”
GLOBALFOUNDRIES will use 500 kilowatts from the 4.7 megawatt project, with the balance provided to all GMP customers.
“As an important economic engine for the state, we are so pleased to continue to innovate and use clean energy technology to power our Essex Junction facility,” said Janette Bombardier, Senior Location Executive of GLOBALFOUNDRIES. “While this is a portion of the power we use, solar is an important part of supporting peak power loads. The data that will come from the facility will continue to help understand and develop this clean energy resource.”
Also located on GLOBALFOUNDRIES property next to GMP’s solar facility is Sandia National Labs’ Vermont Photovoltaic Regional Test Center (RTC), which conducts research on solar technology. The Vermont RTC is one of five such facilities in the U.S. that provides critical performance data on photovoltaic (PV) systems, including determining the effectiveness of operating in a climate with harsh winters, significant precipitation, and dramatic weather changes. Green Mountain Power plans to share data from the solar plant with Sandia as a way to contribute towards the transformation of the economy from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
“It is great to see energy projects that benefit both customers and important employers like GLOBALFOUNDRIES,” said Frank Cioffi the President of the Greater Burlington Investment Corporation. “Local, cost-competitive generation is what our energy future should look like and this project will deliver economic value for decades to come.”
The Williston solar facility was built by groSolar, a well-known and experienced Vermont solar company. The project received a Certificate of Public Good from the Public Service Board and stormwater permits, following archaeological, aesthetic and other studies.
“This is a great project on a great site that is fully supported by the town,” said Terry Macaig, Chair of the Williston Selectboard. “We are so pleased to have worked with GMP and groSolar on this solar facility and to see it start to generate electricity.”
About Green Mountain Power Green Mountain Power (GMP) serves approximately 265,000 residential and business customers in Vermont and has a vision to be the best small company in America by partnering with Vermonters to improve lives and transform communities. GMP is focused on a new way of doing business to meet the needs of customers with integrated energy services that help people use less energy and save money, while continuing to generate clean, cost-effective and reliable power in Vermont. GMP is the first utility in the world to get a B Corp certification, meeting rigorous social, environmental, accountability and transparency standards and committing to use business as a force for good. In 2014, Vote Solar named GMP a Solar Champion. More information at: greenmountainpower.com. Connect with GMP on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @GreenMtnPower.
Kristin Carlson
Green Mountain Power
802-229-8200
[email protected]