Yucaipa Valley Water District to Save $73 Million Through Clean Energy Resiliency for Vital Water and Wastewater Assets in Partnership with ENGIE North America

Widespread Upgrades Ensure Stand-Alone Power During Outages as Part of Larger, Clean Energy Upgrade and Improved Water Energy Nexus

 

Yucaipa, California and Houston, Texas – The Yucaipa Valley Water District (YVWD) Board of Directors approved a contract with ENGIE North America for a customized solar, storage, and microgrid project. YVWD will prioritize the adoption of clean-powered energy to improve its water energy nexus at two of its most critical locations, the Yucaipa Valley Regional Water Filtration Facility, and the Wochholz Regional Water Recycling Facility.

The combined project includes 7.4 MW of solar, a 3.3 MW/13 MWh energy storage system, and 3.2 MW of natural gas gensets and microgrid controllers. YVWD’s program is expected to save $73 million over the life of the program and the District will receive nearly seven million dollars in incentives under California’s Self Generation Incentive Program. ENGIE North America will build, own, and operate the systems as well as sell energy and energy services through a 28-year power purchase agreement with a fixed price.

“With so many challenging events facing our community including fire and drought, our District is at the forefront of proactive problem-solving,” said General Manager Joseph Zoba from Yucaipa Valley Water District. “It is time for a more integrated approach to address the challenges and opportunities of the water-energy nexus. Maintaining the reliability and resilience of our energy and water systems is the key to long-term sustainability and our overall success. The YVWD depends on uninterrupted power 24/7 to conduct mission critical operations. This project not only allows critical facilities to remain operational if there is a grid outage but also reduces our carbon footprint.”

The YVWD manages more than 220 miles of drinking water pipelines, and provides a combination of water, sewer, and recycled water connections to over 22,000 ratepayers in the Inland Empire. The program will greatly improve the District’s capacity to serve residents and keep rates stable while hedging against rising energy costs. The program is designed to meet the District’s long-term resiliency goals and ensure safe, reliable power to the District’s key facilities during public safety power shutoff (PSPS) events.

In Yucaipa Valley, a historically fire-prone region of Southern California, the community has seen an increase in risks, managing fires nearly every two years. Seeking a proactive way to prepare for fire season and reduce the impact of related Public Safety Power Shutoffs, the YVWD Board of Directors selected ENGIE as their energy partner to set a useable framework for technology solutions that would address broader community needs.

“There is a compelling new focus in the water industry to utilize and adopt clean energy technology that enhances resiliency and safety in delivery of essential services. This not only increases reliability but improves both the financial and environmental profile of water districts facing resource and budget constraints,” said Stefaan Sercu, Managing Director, Energy Solutions Americas at ENGIE. “We are proud to partner with the Yucaipa Valley Water District team as they realize long-term, positive impact through enhancement of routine operation and emergency capabilities of their vital water and wastewater assets.”

About YVWD

Yucaipa Valley Water District is in San Bernardino County California. The District service area includes properties in Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Yucaipa and Calimesa. Yucaipa Valley Water District is in YVWD is a special district whose core mission is to provide reliable water and wastewater service to a 40 square-mile region with 223 miles of drinking water pipelines and 27 reservoirs with 34 million gallons of storage capacity.

About ENGIE North America

ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE S.A. is a global reference in low-carbon energy and services, that relies on their key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to customers. With 170,000 employees, customers, partners and stakeholders, the group is committed to accelerate the transition towards a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally-friendly solutions.

Media Contact:

ENGIE North America
Sandrine Deparis
sandrine.deparis@engie.com
(202) 855-3705

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NYPA’s Board Advances Ambitious Environmental Plans by Authorizing PPA’s with ENGIE North America

NYPA announced plans to deploy solar and energy storage at public facilities.

 

In February, New York City and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) announced plans to deploy solar and energy storage at public facilities – including 47 public schools.  Today NYPA’s Board made a significant step to advance plans on this ambitious project by authorizing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with ENGIE North America.

The joint project between NYPA and the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) will generate up to 30 MW of power from rooftop solar arrays on NYC public schools. The portfolio, which includes 6.6 MW of energy storage, will advance New York State’s clean energy targets as outlined in the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. It will also help achieve nearly 30 percent of NYC’s goal of implementing 100 MW of solar on City-owned properties by 2025 – part of its commitment to reduce citywide emissions 80 percent by 2050.

ENGIE will design, build, own and operate the solar systems at the NYC DOE sites with construction expected to begin in early 2022. ENGIE is proud to be a partner in this ambitious project to provide clean and sustainable energy. 

NYPA’s Press Release: https://bit.ly/NYPAxENGIE

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ENGIE partners with The Ohio State University to transform the way communities use energy

An interdisciplinary team at The Ohio State University will lead one of 10 projects announced today by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to transform the way communities use energy. As part of the effort, Ohio State received a $4.2 million DOE grant to be used over the next five years.

 

The projects will conceive, optimize, build and refine “Connected Communities,” in which buildings and distributed energy resources – such as photovoltaic solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations and storage – are controlled in coordination with the electrical grid. This leads to optimized energy consumption within the community, providing a model for reducing the building sector’s contribution to the climate crisis.
 

Led by College of Engineering Associate Dean of Facilities Michael Hagenberger, Engineering Assistant Professor Jordan Clark and ENGIE Technology Architect Mark Brown, Ohio State’s project leverages the university’s public-private partnership with Ohio State Energy Partners established in 2017 by ENGIE North America and Axium Infrastructure. Since then, the partners have embarked on a transformation of the 485-building Columbus campus with the installation of nearly 1,000 smart meters, approval of more than $190 million in energy efficiency measures and implementation of a central analytics and control platform. These infrastructure upgrades have resulted in Ohio State’s Columbus campus becoming the country’s largest microgrid and a replicable pilot for other communities.

“This interdisciplinary project will give Ohio State and Ohio State Energy Partners an opportunity to pursue boundary-pushing energy and sustainability research and innovations and pave the way for the integration of renewable energy sources into our portfolio, a key part of Ohio State’s 2050 carbon neutrality goal,” said Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson.

America’s 125 million homes and commercial buildings currently use almost 40% of U.S. energy and 74% of its electricity, and account for the great majority of peak electricity demand. With technology like state-of-the-art sensors, controls and analytics, there is potential to significantly improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions of our nation’s energy resources. A recent DOE study estimated that by 2030, grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) could save up to $18 billion per year in power system costs and cut 80 million tons of carbon emissions each year.

The Ohio State project team will develop and manage its “Connected Community” as a pilot cluster of campus buildings, of diverse vintage and use type, and energy assets as a microgrid controlled by artificial intelligence (AI) tools. The energy assets include: a 105-megawatt combined heat and power plant; multiple central chiller plants; a steam plant; 65,000 square feet of solar power photovoltaics; 29 electric vehicle charging stations; and 50 megawatts of wind energy through a power purchase agreement.

ENGIE’s novel Smart Institutions platform will integrate data from these assets – streams of real-time utility data such as electricity and chilled water from campus buildings, hyperlocal weather data and occupancy data via wireless access points – to facilitate resource utilization decisions and control campus buildings in coordination, following extensive modeling in the project’s first few years.

“This is a unique opportunity to not only think about, but to actually use the campus to demonstrate the ability of a Connected Community approach to deliver added value to asset owners, community operators and grid operators while maintaining or improving occupant experience and facilitating deep penetration of renewables,” said Clark. “We have an amazing team comprising researchers and private-sector partners who will collaborate to provide this example in a region of the country that can be quite a challenging place to integrate renewables.”

The project team includes Ohio State faculty and staff working with experts from ENGIE, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the University of California, Berkeley, American Electric Power and PJM. In addition to the College of Engineering, staff and faculty from Ohio State’s Facilities Operations and Development, Office of Business and Finance, Center for Automotive Research, Sustainability Institute, John Glenn College of Public Affairs and Institute for Materials Research will contribute to project tasks and goals.

“We are very excited to see that our partnership with The Ohio State University and Axium Infrastructure continues to deliver value well beyond the contractual expectations,” said Serdar Tufekci, Head of Major Partnerships Energy Solutions Americas at ENGIE. “We look forward to expanding our collaboration with the Department of Energy to discover a new standard of innovation and technology which will help in our joint ambition to achieve campus carbon neutrality in a financially feasible way.”

Ohio State’s project will demonstrate cybersecure control of buildings and distributed energy resources for efficiency, demand management and provision of grid services. As a result, the “Connected Community” will be better equipped to respond to peak demand times and reduce energy consumption by 35% — an additional 10% beyond the 25% reduction goal in the Ohio State Energy Partners agreement. In addition, a major outcome of the project will be the demonstration of a 20% increase in net present value of existing renewable generation assets in an Ohio climate.

The 10 projects announced today by DOE will further demonstrate the capabilities of GEBs across a wider range of technologies, locations and building types. Ohio State’s project is the only one to occur on a university campus setting.

Source: https://news.osu.edu/department-of-energy-selects-ohio-state-as-one-of-…

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ENGIE launches Ellipse, world’s most comprehensive carbon intelligence platform

Carbon intelligence platform accelerates global decarbonization efforts for businesses across scope 1, 2 and 3

 

HOUSTON, TX – On the occasion of the Climate Week, ENGIE announced today the launch of Ellipse – its net zero carbon platform to accelerate global decarbonization efforts. ENGIE’s Ellipse offer is the world’s most comprehensive carbon intelligence platform on the market enabling businesses to track their emissions in real-time, design decarbonization strategies, chart their progress and optimize sustainability investments. It is tailor designed to be integrated into existing digital ecosystems, bringing carbon net zero strategies to the forefront of corporate programs.

 

As an expert in the field of decarbonization, ENGIE developed Ellipse in response to climate commitments increasingly growing over the last few years with average annual emissions reduction target increasing three-fold from 2005–2017.

 

ENGIE’s Ellipse offer is a pioneering solution for organizations that need access to advanced data analytics that provide an accurate representation of their carbon output to execute on aggressive climate goals and accelerate global sustainability transformations. Organizations currently struggle with managing vast amounts of carbon-related data, or lack carbon reporting infrastructure, rudimentary scope 3 reporting strategies and the necessary inhouse talent to drive efforts forward. Ellipse mitigates these issues by providing a unified, accurate view of carbon emissions across an organization’s entire portfolio and supply chain.

 

“As a global leader in the zero carbon transition, ENGIE developed Ellipse in support of businesses faced with the growing urgency to reduce carbon emissions and implement a strategic action plan”, said Catherine MacGregor, ENGIE CEO. “A true sustainability transformation requires significant investment, organizational transformation and a reimagining of business strategies, alongside the continuous consolidation of disparate data. Ellipse works as a strategic tool to help organizations make informed decisions and reach their net zero emission goals.”

 

ENGIE’s Ellipse offer allows organizations to:

 

  • Build an Accurate Emissions Footprint:The first step to decarbonization is understanding emissions data across scope 1, 2 and 3. By harnessing artificial intelligence and custom Application Programming Interface, Ellipse aggregates and analyzes dynamic data streams for a highly accurate view of emissions across an organization’s entire value chain. Moving beyond the traditional annual reporting cadence, this real-time view will measure carbon as a true business performance indicator on an ongoing basis.
  • Integrate Project, Goal and Target Tracking: Intuitive visualizations within the platform connect project performance to expected outcomes, measuring return on investment, carbon impact and more.
  • Develop Engineering-Grade Scenario Modeling: Machine learning algorithms, built on insights from over one million facilities, enable carbon-first decision making amidst rapidly evolving market conditions.
  • Create a 360° View of Scope 3 Emissions: By gathering vast amounts of data, organizations can identify hot spots and model supplier-specific mitigation scenarios.

 

Ellipse was developed by ENGIE Impact, an ENGIE entity that delivers sustainability solutions and services to corporations, cities and governments across the globe. ENGIE Impact today has a portfolio of 1,000 clients, including 25% of the Fortune 500 Companies, across more than 1,000,000 sites.

 

About ENGIE North America

ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE S.A. is a global reference in low-carbon energy and services, that relies on their key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to customers. With 170,000 employees, customers, partners and stakeholders, the group is committed to accelerate the transition towards a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally-friendly solutions.

ENGIE HQ Press contact: engiepress@engie.com, +33 (0)1 44 22 24 35

ENGIE North America Press contact: sandrine.deparis@engie.com, +1 202 855 3705

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Ready to Decarbonize?

Following a year marked by extreme climate events and the latest IPCC report, published at the beginning of August, Climate Week, which runs from September 20th to 26th, sets a very clear goal: to step up decarbonization on a global scale. Governments, businesses, experts and NGOs are in New York to share their solutions. Ever faithful to the event, ENGIE was represented by CEO, Catherine MacGregor. The aim is to show that effective solutions already exist, and to step up their rollout. Let’s get it done!

 

 

Catherine MacGregor at Climate Week NYC 2021

 

 



Climate Week, the PLACE TO ACT

Organized by the United Nations, Climate Week provides a strategic opportunity to discuss and act on climate change. Since 2009, the event has been bringing together international leaders from business, government and civil society. The 2021 edition takes place against the specific backdrop of accelerating climate disruption. With uninterrupted forest fires for months on end in California, Canada’s heat dome, forest fires in Europe, deadly floods in Germany and China, record 35°C temperatures in north-western Russia and eastern Finland in May1 etc., the only solution that IPCC experts have found to limit the consequences of global warming is to reduce CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
 

Decarbonization: from intent to action

So how can we act? Today, over 400 of the world’s 2,000 largest public companies have pledged to achieve net zero emissions. But fewer than 30% of the 200 leaders of large multinational corporations surveyed by ENGIE Impact, our consulting entity specializing in decarbonization, think they are on the right track. It is indeed a difficult task. First, a realistic roadmap must be defined. Next, all decarbonization potential must be identified and harnessed. Finally, progress must be measured. On 18 May 2021, Catherine MacGregor led the way by setting out our own decarbonization strategy with a Net Zero Carbon target for 2045. So, ENGIE is playing its part with its own stringent, ambitious targets. But we are going one step further by helping our clients implement their own decarbonization strategies. Our aim for 2030 is to help our clients avoid 45Mt of CO2eq emissions a year, which is more than double the 20Mt of CO2eq emissions avoided in 2020. This strategy is based on our capacity to design and implement decarbonization and energy transition engineering roadmaps to help cities, industry and business reduce their carbon emissions and honor their commitments.

“The alignment of ENGIE’s strategy, purpose and carbon ambitions is critical for our future success and provides a clear trajectory to our global teams.”
Catherine MacGregor, Chief Executive Officer, ENGIE
 

Concrete solutions to achieve decarbonization targets

During the 12th Climate Week, Catherine MacGregor took part in a round table discussion alongside Dr Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, and Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. This was the opportunity to explain our own Net Zero Carbon roadmap: withdrawal from coal in Europe by 2025 and worldwide by 2027, increase in renewable energy production capacity to reach 50 GW by 2025 and 80 GW by 2030, additional capacity of 8 GW in distributed infrastructures to reach 32 GW of low-carbon distributed energy infrastructures by 2025… 
It also provided the opportunity to present a brand-new ENGIE’s Ellipse offer, world’s most comprehensive carbon intelligence platform on the market. This platform can be integrated in our clients’ existing digital ecosystems to help them track progress of their decarbonization actions in real time and on a global scale, through smart data analysis. Multinational corporations like Starbucks Coffee Company have already started using it.

 

Climate Week is off to a great start! 
To follow this great climate event, you can tune in here.

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ENGIE North America Builds Upon Electric Mobility Solution with New Transit and K-12 Fleet Customers

Comprehensive Transportation Electrification Solution for Schools, Transit Agencies, and Commercial Fleets to be Showcased at Advanced Clean Transportation Expo

 

HOUSTON and LONG BEACH, CA – Building on ENGIE’s success enabling broad adoption of electrified transportation throughout the world, ENGIE North America, through its various subsidiaries and affiliates, announced today new K-12 fleet and transit agency customers: El Monte Union High School District (UHSD), Grossmont Union HSD and Victor Valley Transit Authority.

“Zero-emission buses are the future of American public transportation,” said Stefaan Sercu, Chief Energy Solutions Officer, Americas at ENGIE. “In fact, soon, electrification will be one of the best options. That’s good news for communities, because ultimately it will significantly reduce both the cost and environmental impact of transportation.”

There are environmental and economic benefits to move to zero-emission buses, but the planning and implementation processes can be overwhelming for agency and district transportation leaders. That is why ENGIE North America is offering a comprehensive eMobility solution to accelerate electrification projects and optimize project outcomes.

The ENGIE North America turnkey solution includes:

  • All aspects of eMobility planning and design, covering vehicles, charging infrastructure, energy management, and on-site energy generation and storage;
  • Total cost of ownership analysis and assistance in applying for grants and incentives;
  • Financing, including purchase options, capital leasing, or fixed-cost transportation and charging-as-a-service;
  • Sourcing of reliable, standards-compliant technologies;
  • Project management, from planning through construction and installation to ongoing support; and
  • Community engagement, such as academic collaborations and community outreach programs.

 

“Just planning for a transition to an electric fleet is a daunting task when you think of all the variables involved,” said Lindsey Danner, Energy Manager at Grossmont Union HSD. “ENGIE is helping us put a plan together we can afford – covering everything from bus infrastructure and technology to funding sources. They turned a challenge into a real opportunity for our district.”

Located near San Diego, Grossmont Union HSD tapped ENGIE’s eMobility services to help plan the conversion of its fleet to zero emission vehicles, including developing eBus charging infrastructure requirements, analyzing the impact of adding solar and battery storage, and reviewing the district’s plans for its new transportation yard.

 

Battery Storage Accelerates Progress Toward eMobility Goals

Battery energy storage is an important component of the eMobility infrastructure, as it provides back-up power and helps mitigate the costly spikes in power usage that result from the intermittent use of electric vehicle (EV) chargers. The “demand charges” that utilities levy for these spikes can constitute a significant portion of an agency’s or a district’s electricity bill. In addition, when battery storage is deployed in conjunction with solar, it increases the feasibility of larger solar deployments, which can support lower cost transportation electrification.

As an example, ENGIE North America devised an eMobility plan for the Victor Valley Transit Authority (VVTA) in Hesperia, California, which included battery storage combined with solar to support the transit agency’s electric and hydrogen bus fleet. The battery storage now offsets the demand spikes caused by VVTA’s eBus chargers and natural gas compressors.

“The battery storage has reduced our demand charges by 40 percent,” said Ron Zirges, Director of Facilities & Maintenance. “And with ENGIE North America’s assistance, we successfully enrolled in the California Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP), which has covered 50 percent of our storage costs.”

K-12 school districts are seeing similar benefits. El Monte UHSD, just east of Los Angeles, turned to K-12 school districts are seeing similar benefits. El Monte UHSD, just east of Los Angeles, turned to ENGIE to design and deploy an energy storage system to support their EV chargers that power its new electric bus fleet. Deployed at five sites, the battery storage has enabled a 35 percent reduction in demand charges. The project at its five high school sites and bus garage was partially funded by a portion of the $9.8 million CA Air Resources Board Clean Mobility in Schools Pilot grant. The Clean Mobility in Schools Pilot Project is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities. Overall, this project at El Monte UHSD directly benefits students and educational programs by reducing energy demand costs paid out of the General Fund.

For more information on ENGIE’s eMobility solution click here. Please visit the ENGIE booth #1623 at the ACT Expo, August 31 – September 1, 2021 at the Long Beach Convention Center.

 

About ENGIE North America

ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE S.A. is a global reference in low-carbon energy and services, that relies on their key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to customers. With 170,000 employees, customers, partners and stakeholders, the group is committed to accelerate the transition towards a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally-friendly solutions.

 

Media Contact:

ENGIE North America: Sandrine Deparis, sandrine.deparis@engie.com, (202) 855 3705

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ENGIE North America and Axium Infrastructure Reach Financial Close on Long-Term Georgetown University Energy Infrastructure Partnership

HOUSTON, Texas – Today, Georgetown Energy Partners (GEP), an entity owned by ENGIE North America and Axium Infrastructure (Axium), achieved financial close with Georgetown University through a long-term comprehensive energy management partnership. Under the terms of the 50-year agreement, GEP has assumed sole responsibility to operate, maintain, and modernize the University’s utility system including steam, chilled water, power and domestic water for their main campus location and downtown law center facilities.

This long-term agreement will help accelerate and actualize the University’s ambitious sustainability goals that include a 35 percent overall reduction in energy use intensity and to achieve carbon neutral status by 2030 by leveraging innovative energy solutions and modernization of the existing utility infrastructure. For more information on Georgetown Energy Partners please visit https://georgetownenergypartners.com.

 

“The ENGIE team is proud to recognize the final transfer of Georgetown University’s utility system to management under the unified Georgetown Energy Partners group this week,” said Stefaan Sercu, Managing Director Energy Solutions Americas at ENGIE. “Our partnership with Georgetown builds off of a successful track record of the University’s long-term commitment to sustainability – through measurable infrastructure upgrades, impactful renewable generation goals, and integrated academic leadership that promotes interdisciplinary solutions to the climate crisis. We’re looking forward to shaping new opportunities together that accelerate the campus community’s transition to a carbon-neutral future.”

 

“Axium is thrilled to join the extraordinary community at Georgetown University and to partner once again with ENGIE,” said Thierry Vandal, President of Axium Infrastructure US Inc. “We look forward to supporting Georgetown in meeting its campus sustainability goals and carbon neutrality objective,” added Mr. Vandal.

ENGIE is a leader in energy services for major universities, cities, and critical infrastructure entities around the world. The 50-year partnership with globally-renowned Georgetown University is the latest example in which institutions are turning to a partnership model to manage and operate energy infrastructure upgrades. Over the last three years, ENGIE North America has implemented successful energy concession partnerships at The Ohio State University and the University of Iowa. Most recently, ENGIE North America announced its new collaboration with Howard University, for a 20-year agreement managing the design, construction, operation and maintenance of a new central utility plant on campus. 

 

Société Générale S.A, acted as Financial Advisor and Lead Arranger for ENGIE. Allen & Overy LLP acted as lead counsel for ENGIE. For Georgetown University, Barclays acted as financial advisor, Jones Day acted as legal advisor and Arup acted as technical advisor.

Axium has a successful track record of investing in critical infrastructure assets on university and corporate campuses throughout the United States. Axium’s commitment to Georgetown University is consistent with the firm’s strategy of delivering expertise and innovation to universities in support of their broader academic mission. This partnership with Georgetown University follows successful collaborations with ENGIE North America at The Ohio State University and the Longwood Medical Area in Boston. Axium has also developed long-term on-campus housing partnerships with several leading Universities in the United States.

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About Georgetown University

Established in 1789 by Archbishop John Carroll, Georgetown is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit university in the United States. Located in Washington, DC; Doha, Qatar; and around the world; Georgetown University is a leading academic and research institution, offering a unique educational experience that prepares the next generation of global citizens to lead and make a difference in the world. For more information about Georgetown University, visit Georgetown.edu or connect with Georgetown on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

 

About Axium Infrastructure Inc.

Axium Infrastructure (comprised of Axium Infrastructure Inc. and its affiliated entities) is an independent portfolio management firm dedicated to generating long-term investment returns through investing in core infrastructure assets. Axium Infrastructure had approximately US$5 billion in assets under management as of May 31, 2021, as well as over US$1 billion in co-investments. The firm benefits from the capabilities of a group of specialists with decades of experience acquiring, developing, financing, operating and managing infrastructure assets. Focus is placed on assets that are supported by robust market demand and under long-term contract with creditworthy counterparties. Since 2010, the firm has invested in a diversified portfolio of over 165 North American infrastructure assets. For further information, including information about other infrastructure assets the firm has invested in, please visit www.axiuminfra.com.

 

About ENGIE North America

ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE S.A. is a global reference in low-carbon energy and services, that relies on their key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to customers. With 170,000 employees, customers, partners and stakeholders, the group is committed to accelerate the transition towards a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally-friendly solutions.

 

Media Contact:
ENGIE North America: Sandrine Deparis, sandrine.deparis@engie.com, (202) 855 3705

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ENGIE North America Releases 2020 Sustainability Report

ENGIE has mobilized its resources to pioneer a low-carbon future for both the people and our planet. Today, we make our commitments even clearer with the 2045 Carbon Neutrality Pledge — our pathway to achieving net zero in all our business activities.

 

The planet needs our urgency. With objectives for 2030 ENGIE employs inventive technologies that convert natural elements into energy and initiates business activities in favor of a carbon-neutral world. 

The report details action ENGIE North America is taking, together with customers and communities, to achieve a carbon neutral future.

The report outlines: 

  • Impressive statistics, like: 
    – The addition of nearly 2 GW of renewable generation, which — in addition to the divestiture of thermal generation resources — increased the share of zero-carbon generation in our portfolio to 72%;
    – The avoidance of more than 3.2 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent in 2020;
    – The funding of the creation of nearly 3,000 construction jobs in 40 counties in 12 states and created 150 jobs in rural communities. 
     
  • Explanations of our main Corporate and Cities Power Purchasing Agreements like the ones with Amazon (wind and solar projects)  Hartnell College (solar project) and QTS Data Centers (storage project).
     
  • Several customer and partner interviews that discuss ENGIE North America’s collaboration and solution-oriented approach to achieve client energy goals. 
     
  • Leading in biodiversity with:
    – A study of Mt. Tom, the largest utility-scale storage and community solar farm in Massachusetts, to assess whether fencing and arrays deter wildlife use—none was found; and
    – Bird and bat conservation strategies developed for all wind projects, and post-construction monitoring programs initiated at all facilities after they begin commercial operation. 

This report is a powerful illustration of ENGIE North America’s mission in the zero-carbon transition by accelerating the deployment of clean, affordable, innovative and resilient energy solutions. 

In addition to the focus on sustainability, the report also outlines actions ENGIE North America is taking in diversity, equity and inclusion, such as taking a stand against racism; a commitment to growth, training and development; an outline of education institution relationships; and more. 

Read more about our efforts in the 2020 Sustainability Report.

For more information about our global strategy, please also read ENGIE’s updated Integrated Report, which provides a comprehensive, forward-looking vision of the Group, its purpose, ambition, strategy, objectives, governance and value creation. We look forward to creating a carbon-neutral future together.

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City of Milpitas Launches Comprehensive Smart City Energy and Water Savings Program with ENGIE North America

Extensive Public Works Program Expected to Improve City Infrastructure and Save More Than $1.5 Million Per Year in Energy, Water Costs

 

MILPITAS, CA and HOUSTON, TX – The City of Milpitas announced today that it has begun construction on a comprehensive Smart City energy and water savings program with ENGIE North America, an energy leader accelerating North America’s transition toward a carbon neutral economy. Approved by Milpitas’ City Council, the city will upgrade infrastructure and install energy and water conservation measures that are expected to reduce utility consumption by more than 4.2 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year which is expected to save more than $1.5 million in energy and water costs per year, for a net lifetime savings of over $30 million.

The extensive program includes over 200 kilowatts of solar; an energy storage and microgrid solution for backup power at the Milpitas Senior Center and Milpitas Community Center; 15,600 advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) water meters with leak detection; 2,185 LED streetlight retrofits; 4,453 streetlight controls upgrades with outage detection; City-wide LED lighting upgrades in parks, sports fields, City buildings, and community facilities; water, wastewater, and stormwater management automation; touchless efficient water fixtures; and electric vehicle charging stations. 

“The goal of the City’s energy and water savings program is to upgrade critical infrastructure with an eye on three major pillars: economic benefits, environmental benefits, and human benefits. Through this program, we will leverage guaranteed energy and water savings to pay for the program and save the City money, while reducing our energy and water usage, improving community safety, and enhancing building comfort and usability,” said Mayor Rich Tran from the City of Milpitas. “The City of Milpitas is proud of our continued commitment to fiscal and environmental stewardship and this comprehensive Smart Cities program will showcase Milpitas as a responsible and innovative community.”

The program is designed to bolster community outreach around sustainability issues and climate action and provides the City with a dedicated AmeriCorps CivicSpark fellow for one year. To fund the project, the city will use State incentives for battery energy storage, resiliency funds from Silicon Valley Clean Energy, AMI funding from Valley Water, water bonds and low-interest lease revenue bonds. The energy and water savings will allow the program to more than pay for itself.

“ENGIE is delivering a comprehensive, customized Smart City solution and helping the City of Milpitas to define its future as a sustainable and resilient place to live,” said Courtney Jenkins, a General Manager and Vice President at ENGIE North America. “ENGIE North America will deliver a sophisticated bundling of energy and water conservation measures expected to reduce utility consumption and advance the City’s climate ambitions.”

Click here for more information on the City’s sustainability plans.

 

About the City of Milpitas

Located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay, Milpitas is a progressive community that is an integral part of Silicon Valley. A full-service city with water utility, sewer utility, police and fire services, Milpitas celebrates a diverse population of nearly 80,000. Under a Council-Manager form of government, the City Council has established the following seven priority areas of service and policy: public safety, environment, transportation and transit, economic development and job growth, neighborhoods and housing, community wellness and open space, and governance and administration. For more information visit: www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov.

 

About ENGIE North America

ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help our customers achieve their sustainability goals as we work together to shape a sustainable future. Our comprehensive services include helping run facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and costs; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low-carbon or renewable. ENGIE S.A. is a global organization focused on low-carbon energy and services, that relies on its key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to its customers. With 170,000 employees, along with its customers, partners and stakeholders, the group is committed to accelerating the transition to a carbon-neutral world through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally-friendly solutions.

For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our LinkedIn page or Twitter feed, https://www.engie-na.com/ and https://www.engie.com.

 

Media Contacts:

City of Milpitas: Charmaine Angelo, cangelo@ci.milpitas.ca.gov, (408) 906 9603

ENGIE North America: Sandrine Deparis, sandrine.deparis@engie.com, (202) 855 3705

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State Fund Begins Construction of Extensive Sustainability and Solar Energy Program Designed by ENGIE North America and JLL

California rollout at seven locations includes solar, electric vehicle charging stations and energy storage, and is expected to save nearly $65,000,000 over a 20-year period

 

PLEASANTON, CA — State Compensation Insurance Fund (State Fund), California’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance, today announced that construction has begun on an extensive sustainability and solar energy program that includes solar, electric vehicle charging stations and energy storage at seven locations throughout California. Designed and constructed by ENGIE North America, through its affiliate ENGIE Services U.S. Inc., and JLL, State Fund will install 9.8 MW of solar, 2 MW/4.3 MWh of energy storage and 150 Level II and DC charging stations, offsetting nearly 230,000 metric tons of green-house-gas emissions over a 20-year period and saving nearly $65,000,000 in energy costs over the life of the project.

“Breaking ground on this project is a huge step forward in our drive to reduce our use of fossil fuels, limit the load we place on local and statewide electrical grids, and improve air quality throughout California,” said Andreas Acker, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at State Fund. “Increasing our efforts and investments around sustainability initiatives will bring a number of benefits to our customers, employees, and California as a whole.”

The State Fund construction sites are located in Vacaville, Pleasanton, Redding, Fresno, Bakersfield, Sacramento and Riverside. The portfolio of solar projects is projected to produce 311 GWh over 20 years, enough to power more than 26,500 homes, and provide a reduction in CO2 emissions equivalent to taking 47,000 gas vehicles off the road.

“In addition to supporting State Fund’s greater environmental strategy, the construction helps the California economy during this critical time for recovery after the pandemic,” said Courtney Jenkins,  General Manager and Vice President for Cities & Communities at ENGIE North America.  “State Fund is truly a partner that aligns with ENGIE’s mission to help our customers decarbonize and optimize energy use.”

State Fund’s EV charging stations will be available to its employees and used by the company’s fleet vehicles. State Fund’s fleet currently includes eight battery electric vehicles, three of which are new long-range BEVs that allow employees to travel between State Fund locations while lowering their reliance on fossil fuels.

“JLL is proud to play an active role in initiatives that support adoption of renewable and sustainable energy like State Fund’s, a trend whose adoption is quickly accelerating,” said Kyle Goehring, Executive Vice President, JLL Clean Energy Solutions. “As a global company, we have an inherent responsibility to drive sustainability and corporate social responsibility efforts. We embrace technology to meet the needs of today and opportunities of tomorrow.”

About State Compensation Insurance Fund

State Fund is California’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance. Not for profit and funded solely by premiums and investment income, we’ve supported California’s entrepreneurial spirit and played a vital role in the state’s economy for more than 100 years. By innovating in areas such as workplace safety and injured worker care, we’re committed to serving California for the next 100 as well. To learn more or get a quote, contact your broker or visit www.StateFundCA.com.

About ENGIE North America

ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada through its various subsidiaries and affiliates to help our customers achieve their sustainability goals as we work together to shape a sustainable future. Our comprehensive services include helping run facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and costs; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low-carbon or renewable. ENGIE S.A. is a global organization focused on low-carbon energy and services, that relies on its key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to its customers. With 170,000 employees, along with its customers, partners and stakeholders, the group is committed to accelerating the transition to a carbon-neutral world through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally-friendly solutions.

For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our LinkedIn page or Twitter feed, https://www.engie-na.com/ and https://www.engie.com.

About JLL

JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. JLL shapes the future of real estate for a better world by using the most advanced technology to create rewarding opportunities, amazing spaces and sustainable real estate solutions for our clients, our people and our communities. JLL is a Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of $16.6 billion in 2020, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 91,000 as of March 31, 2021. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com.

Contacts

State Fund: Susan Wells, swells@scif.com, (707) 455-9740

ENGIE North America: Sandrine Deparis, sandrine.deparis@engie.com, (202) 855 3705

JLL: Harvey Mireles, harvey.mireles@am.jll.com, (214) 438-6550

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