NineDot provides energy credits for New York households | Projects Weekly
This edition of Projects Weekly is highlighting a program by NineDot energy to provide $60 million in energy credits to low-income households in New York. Plus, Greenskies Clean Focus has completed a 3.13 MW solar project in Connecticut, Ameresco is building a solar project that will help an Arizona city save more than $1 million per year in energy costs, Illinois’ first-ever public school community solar project opens in Peoria County, CleanCapital has completed a $185 million private placement debt issuance to top U.S. investors to support 156 projects totaling over 180 MW, Solar 76 is collaborating with East Texas A&M University to foster innovation in solar energy, and Origis Energy has closed financing on a pair of solar projects in Texas totaling 313 MW. Read on for more details.
NineDot to provide energy credits for low-income households in New York
New York City-based community-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) developer NineDot Energy is participating in the New York Statewide Solar for All (S-SFA) program. The innovative initiative generates funds for households needing assistance to pay their energy bills. NineDot expects to generate more than $60 million in energy credits for low-income New Yorkers within one decade.
“New Yorkers are facing an affordability crisis, and energy storage can help alleviate that,” said David Arfin, CEO and cofounder of NineDot Energy. “In addition to making the grid cleaner and more resilient, our urban energy projects help with energy affordability and advance environmental justice where we live and work. Through the S-SFA program, we expect our growing pipeline of grid-connected batteries to contribute over $60 million in bill savings over the next decade for lower-income households, while also expediting the retirement of dirty peaker plants that belch pollution in predominantly lower-income and historically-marginalized communities.”
Projects enrolled in the S-SFA program will contribute a percentage of revenues (generated from energy exports to the grid) to an S-SFA savings pool that is distributed annually to utility EAP customers who also reside in a disadvantaged community. Those households will automatically receive a credit on their energy bills from this program beginning in 2026 – the more projects that come online and enroll in S-SFA, the larger the EAP savings pool will be.
Cool factor: The New York Public Service Commission adopted the S-SFA program in May 2024 as a streamlined way to share the financial benefits of community solar and storage projects with utility customers enrolled in energy affordability programs (EAPs). Despite its name, the S-SFA program also includes the participation of community-scale battery projects, greatly expanding future savings for energy-burdened NYC households.
“We need more innovative ways to help New Yorkers who are struggling to pay energy bills,” said Elijah Hutchinson, executive director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice. “Achieving a just energy transition and the retirement of old, dirty, peaker plants isn’t done in isolation. Rather, it requires a combination of financing programs, like Statewide Solar For All, and infrastructure upgrades, like battery storage, all while centering the safety and wellbeing of New Yorkers.”
NineDot Energy has already enrolled more than 60 current and future projects, representing over 300 MW, in the S-SFA program. Some of these projects are now generating revenue and therefore funds for the EAP savings pool. Based on the estimated operating schedules of this pipeline, NineDot’s projects could contribute more than $60 million for distribution to EAP participants just in the next decade.
NineDot Energy is on track to meet its goal of having 400MW of battery storage in operation, construction or development by the end of 2026. The company currently has seven operating projects at four locations in Staten Island and The Bronx, and NineDot anticipates additional projects coming online in the coming months throughout New York City, in time to support the community during the summer of 2026.
Greenskies Clean Focus completes 3.13 MW solar project in Connecticut
Greenskies Clean Focus has completed a 3.13 MWdc solar project in Durham, Connecticut. Spanning 10 acres and featuring more than 5,800 tracker-mounted panels, this new Shared Clean Energy Facility (SCEF) will deliver renewable energy to subscribers in Eversource’s service territory, expanding access to affordable power for low- to moderate-income (LMI) residents, small businesses, and municipalities.
“This project represents the best of what community solar can achieve,” said Ryan Linares, VP of real estate at Greenskies Clean Focus. “By collaborating closely with our landowner partner, we’ve created a site that delivers clean energy to Connecticut residents, supports local agriculture, and blends naturally into the surrounding community. It’s a great example of how responsible solar development can benefit everyone involved.”
Cool factor: Connecticut’s SCEF program, administered by the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) and overseen by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), utilizes a community solar model to enable residents and organizations who can’t install solar directly to share in the benefits of renewable energy. Subscribers receive monthly bill credits for up to 20 years, reducing energy costs at no expense to participants.
The Durham solar array is expected to generate more than 4 million kWh of electricity annually. Greenskies developed, financed, and constructed the Durham project and will own, operate, and maintain the system under a long-term lease with the property owner. To enhance the site’s visual appeal and provide natural screening for nearby neighbors, Greenskies installed agricultural fencing and planted 40 new trees, including 30 Manhattan Blue Junipers and 10 Donald Wyman Flowering Crabapples, adding both beauty and biodiversity to the landscape.
Ameresco breaks ground on solar project to aid AZ municipality
Ameresco Inc. broke ground on a solar project in Chandler, Arizona, designed to strengthen energy security, curb rising utility costs and advance sustainability goals. This project will deploy solar PV systems across 22 municipal facilities, creating a municipal blueprint for resilient, cost-efficient energy solutions.
The project portfolio includes a mix of covered parking canopies at city buildings, rooftop-mounted systems for smaller facilities, and large-scale, ground-mount arrays at water treatment facilities including the city’s Airport Water Reclamation Facility. This diversified design aligns system type and siting with operational needs across the city to maximize on-site generation and economic value. Buildings in the portfolio include City Hall, Chandler Nature Center, and Sunset Library, as well as fire and public safety stations, among others.
“Chandler’s objective was to take advantage of their excellent solar resources while delivering meaningful utility savings across their facilities citywide,” said Lou Maltezos, president of Central and Western USA, Canada Regions at Ameresco. “By tailoring canopy, rooftop, and single axis tracking systems to each site, we are helping the City of Chandler secure reliable, long-term renewable energy and reduce exposure to unpredictable utility costs.”
Cool factor: The project portfolio totals 7.74 MWdc / 5.85 MWac and is designed to produce more than 14,500,000 kWh per year, helping the city manage rising energy costs and reduce reliance on external energy markets. The initiative is expected to offset over 60% of the annual electricity requirements for the participating sites and provide over $1 million in annual utility savings. The project cost will be partially funded through the Federal Investment Tax Credit for Renewable Energy.
“Our challenge was to reduce the city’s energy spend and environmental footprint without compromising day-to-day operations,” said Steven Turner, sustainability and performance officer for the city of Chandler. “Partnering with Ameresco enables us to meet that goal by deploying right-sized solar across 22 facilities, cutting annual utility costs, and offsetting electricity use.”
As systems come online, the city anticipates steady progress toward its cost-savings and sustainability targets, supported by the ITC and Ameresco’s design-build delivery. Construction is expected to be completed in 2026.
Illinois’ first-ever public school community solar project opens in Peoria County
Peoria County, Illinois, celebrated the opening of Jubilee Solar, the state’s first community solar project built on public school property. The first-of-its-kind project is located on the campus of Brimfield Community Unit School District (CUSD) #309 and underscores the Peoria area’s commitment to embracing the benefits of solar energy. It comes online on the heels of the passage of the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act, which will help more projects like this to be built and benefit communities across the state.
“We were pleased to make this project happen, especially after learning of the savings it will provide the school,” said Chad Jones, Brimfield CUSD 309 superintendent. “Our district will save more than $22,000 every year on its energy bills. That is a significant amount of money that can be redirected toward future capital projects and other enrichments to better the school and student outcomes.”
Cool factor: Jubilee Solar features more than 5,400 solar panels and will generate over 3 MW of renewable energy for the Ameren grid. As a community solar project, local residents and businesses can subscribe to the project and save up to 15% on their energy bills, further extending the benefits to the local community without the need to install solar panels on their property. This groundbreaking project qualifies under the Illinois Shines Public Schools category, which enables public schools across the state to host community solar projects, realize significant savings, and extend those savings to the broader community.
“Peoria County knows the value of community solar projects firsthand, and the value of finding the right partners to work with when building them,” said James Dillon, Chairperson of the Peoria County Board. “We’ve partnered with Trajectory Energy Partners on a project to realize savings for our own county budget while putting clean, reliable energy onto the Ameren grid, and I’m heartened to see that same kind of progress for our local communities come online for the Brimfield School District.”
Peoria County is home to more than 2,400 solar installations, enough to power almost 9,000 homes. Jubilee Solar was built using union labor under a tri-trade agreement, ensuring that clean energy investments create good-paying jobs and keep economic benefits in Illinois communities. The project will also be an ongoing tax revenue generator for the local taxing bodies, providing the area with additional ongoing benefits while also lowering energy prices for subscribers and contributing to grid stability.
CleanCapital completes $185M debt private placement
CleanCapital has completed a $185 million private placement debt issuance to top U.S. investors. This facility, which initially comprises 156 projects totaling over 180 MW, offers long-term financing flexibility and is designed to scale with additional tranches over time, meeting the needs of the company’s growing portfolio of distributed generation (DG) solar and energy storage projects.
“This is a significant accomplishment for CleanCapital, cementing our place among the most mature and trusted operators in the market,” stated Melinda Baglio, general counsel and CFO at CleanCapital. “This transaction provides a long-term, scalable financing solution tailored to the needs of distributed generation projects, enabling us to efficiently finance projects and deliver more clean and affordable megawatts to the grid.”
Cool factor: As the U.S. faces mounting energy demand, energy affordability is becoming a critical issue nationwide. Distributed solar and energy storage provide a cost-effective solution to deliver new megawatts to the grid, address rising energy demand, and bolster grid reliability. This private placement demonstrates strong investor confidence in this market and in CleanCapital’s ability to deliver consistent return on investment. This private placement unlocks an additional debt market that has been historically less accessible to DG sponsors, strengthening the company’s ability to provide optimal project financing.
“Over the last 10 years, CleanCapital has continued to elevate its market standing and drive over $1.5 billion of capital into clean energy investments,” shared Winston Chen, co-head of investments at CleanCapital. Milbank LLP acted as legal counsel on the transaction.
Solar 76 partners with East Texas A&M University to advance solar energy innovation
Solar 76 has formed a collaboration with East Texas A&M University (ETAMU) to foster innovation in solar energy while providing valuable hands-on experience for ETAMU students.
Paul McCright, ETAMU’s senior industrial engineering instructor, will oversee the student projects, integrating real-world industry challenges with academic learning. Solar76 will support the initiative by granting access to production facilities and sharing technical expertise.
Cool factor: The collaboration will include student-led projects aimed at enhancing efficiency in solar inverter and battery production lines. These projects feature a time-and-motion study to optimize inverter assembly processes and a comprehensive spring capstone project focused on redesigning the battery production line for improved capacity and automation.
“This partnership exemplifies our dedication to driving innovation and workforce development in the solar energy industry,” said Donald Jackson, representing Solar 76. “Collaborating with ETAMU allows us to invest in the future generation of engineers and promote sustainable energy solutions.”
The partnership will be showcased through a series of press releases and video content throughout the academic year, highlighting key milestones and student achievements.
Origis closes financing on 2 solar projects totaling 313 MW
Origis Energy announced the financial close for the Swift Air Solar II and Swift Air Solar III projects in Ector County, Texas. The two projects have a combined nameplate capacity of 313 MWdc. The $290 million senior secured debt facilities include construction debt, term debt and a tax credit bridge loan from Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking (Natixis CIB) and Santander Corporate & Investment Banking (Santander).
Natixis CIB and Santander acted as coordinating lead arrangers and bookrunners, hedging banks, and LC issuers, with Natixis CIB serving as green loan coordinator and administrative agent for the $290 million debt financing package.
Origis is the builder, owner, and operator of Swift Air Solar II and III. The two projects are the first phase of a larger, 600 MW complex in West Texas, with three additional projects expected to provide Full Notice to Proceed before the end of the year.
Cool factor: Swift Air Solar II and III will start commercial production in the fourth quarter of 2025. The projects will sell energy and renewable energy credits with Houston-based Occidental Power (Oxy) and its subsidiary, OLCV Stratos Development for Swift Air Solar II under two 15-year power purchase agreements, to provide zero-emission solar power for the Direct Air Capture (DAC) facility, STRATOS, currently under construction in the Permian Basin. Earlier this year, Origis started commercial operation of the 184 MWdc Swift Air Solar I project, which is also contracted with Oxy.
“These projects further demonstrate Origis Energy’s ability to scale efficiently and mark another step toward bringing over 3 GW of long-term contracted assets into commercial operation by the end of 2026,” said Alice Heathcote, CFO at Origis Energy. “A big thank you to Natixis CIB and Santander for their ongoing partnership on both these transactions and beyond.”
The Swift Air Solar II and III financing represents the first project financing jointly led for Origis by Natixis CIB and Santander. The parties had previously worked together on the Origis $750 million construction warehouse facility in August 2023 and an upsize of the Origis $750 million development facility in March 2023.
