Electrify America Announces EV Charging Network Backed by 100 Percent Renewable Energy and Power Purchase Agreement for 75 Megawatts in New Solar Generation

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May 18, 2022, 06:00 ET

New solar photovoltaic renewable energy generation project in San Bernardino County, CA called Electrify America Solar Glow™ 1
Commits to net zero carbon footprint for all energy delivered to drivers across its coast-to-coast public ultra-fast DC charging network
Becomes North America's largest open electric vehicle fast charging network to enter into a virtual power purchase agreement for new renewable energy generation
Contributes to 'additionality' as part of company's sustainability mission to create brand new renewable energy that would not otherwise be available

RESTON, Va., May 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Electrify America announced today it has entered into a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with developer Terra-Gen to build a solar photovoltaic renewable energy generation project in San Bernardino County, California called Electrify America Solar Glow™ 1.

The new solar project is expected to generate 75 Megawatts (MW) at peak solar capacity or an estimated annual production of 225,000 Megawatt hours. It is projected to produce enough 100% renewable energy annually to more than offset the energy currently delivered on an annualized basis to Electrify America's customers charging on its extensive network. The solar project is targeted to be operational by mid-2023.

In becoming the largest open network in North America to enter into a VPPA, Electrify America will be supporting the key sustainability goal of "additionality," meaning that this arrangement would result in new, additional renewable energy generation.

Electrify America is purchasing and retiring all bundled environmental certificates associated with the new solar project over a 15-year period, shifting away from the business-as-usual approach of buying environmental certificates from a third-party supplier on an unbundled basis, which does less to support additional renewable energy generation.

For more information, please visit https://media.electrifyamerica.com/en-us/

To view the announcement video, please click here.

"Electrify America's business model – and purpose – have always been at the forefront of efforts to reduce emissions through enabling electric mobility," said Giovanni Palazzo, president and CEO of Electrify America. "Our commitment to customers and to a sustainable future go hand-in-hand, which is why we are investing in renewable energy generation to commit to a net zero carbon footprint associated with the energy delivered to our customers."

Electrify America's first solar project in the Southern California Mojave Desert may also be expanded at the option of Terra-Gen to include a co-located battery energy storage system to further increase the delivery of renewable energy to the grid during times when more costly – and often more polluting – peaking power plants may be used to meet customer needs. The potential use of a co-located battery energy storage system at the facility would add to Electrify America's ongoing effort of deploying over 30 MW of co-located behind-the-meter energy storage systems at charging stations across the U.S. This ongoing investment from Electrify America is already decreasing the carbon profile and potential emissions associated with the electricity generation that powers the company's charging network.

Electrify America Solar Glow™ 1 - Project Specifics

Location: San Bernardino County, CA
Developer: Terra-Gen
Maximum Capacity: 75MW
Estimated Annual Production: 225,000 MWh
Timeline: Groundbreaking – Late 2022 | Target Operation Date – Summer 2023

Immediate Impact
Although the new solar facility will not be online until mid-2023, Electrify America's charging network is already backed by 100% renewable energy effective April 2022 through the purchase of environmental certificates from existing renewable generation.

In addition, and to further bolster near-term sustainability impact, Electrify America has entered into an interim VPPA, effective October 2022, with Terra-Gen to support Terra-Gen's existing Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) IX solar thermal plant until the adjacent new solar photovoltaic facility in San Bernardino County is fully operational.

Electrify America will receive the bundled environmental certificates and purchase renewable energy from SEGS IX, once part of the largest solar thermal energy generating facility in the world when completed in 1990 and also the world's longest-operating solar thermal facility.

"Electrify America is proud to support SEGS, which was instrumental to fostering renewable energy generation in the 20^th Century and parallels to Electrify America's mission to advance electric vehicle adoption today", said Jigar Shah, Head of Energy Services at Electrify America. "In aggregate, these 100% renewable energy commitments address Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions for all energy delivered to our customers, and amount to an estimated 2 million metric tons in avoided CO₂ emissions over 15 years[1] - comparable to the carbon sequestered by planting nearly 40 million trees[2]."

About Electrify America
Electrify America LLC, the largest open DC fast charging network in the U.S., is investing $2 billion over 10 years in Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure, education and access. The investment will enable millions of Americans to discover the benefits of electric driving and support the build-out of a nationwide network of workplace, community and highway chargers that are convenient and reliable. Electrify America expects to have more than 1,800 total charging stations with over 10,000 chargers in the United States and Canada by 2026. During this period, the company will be expanding to 49 states and the District of Columbia, delivering on its commitment to support increased ZEV adoption with a network that is comprehensive, technologically advanced and customer friendly.

Electrify America earned the 2020 and 2021 "EV Charging Infrastructure Best-in-Test" award from umlaut, an infrastructure and benchmarking specialist, now part of Accenture, as published in Charged Electric Vehicles Magazine. Electrify America's Electrify Home® offers home charging solutions for consumers with flexible installation options. Electrify Commercial® provides expert solutions for businesses looking to develop electric vehicle charging programs. For more information, visit www.electrifyamerica.com and media.electrifyamerica.com.

About Terra-Gen
Terra-Gen, LLC is a leading U.S. developer, owner, and operator of utility-scale renewable energy projects in North America. Terra-Gen owns approximately 1.3 GW of wind, solar and energy storage capacity in operation across 26 renewable power facilities throughout the United States. Terra-Gen was formed in 2007 and is owned by ECP, a leading investor in infrastructure facilitating the energy transition, and First Sentier Investors, a leading global asset manager. For more information, visit www.terra-gen.com.

[1] Based on 2019 U.S. national weighted average CO₂ marginal emission rates. https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gases-equivalencies-calculator-calculations-and-references

[2] Based on 0.060 metric ton CO₂ per urban tree planted grown for 10 years. https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gases-equivalencies-calculator-calculations-and-references

SOURCE Electrify America, LLC