While the Inflation Reduction Act calls for a huge injection in clean energy spending, the industry still faces supply snarls, trade tensions and delays in connecting to power grids.
Louis Pitre
Logan County Board Approves ConnectGen’s Pike Creek Wind Project
December 19, 2022 (Houston, TX) – ConnectGen announced today that its Pike Creek Wind Project received a final Conditional Use Permit approval from the Logan County Board in late November. The Pike Creek Wind Project is an approximately 200 MW wind facility that will consist of an estimated 45 turbines located in Logan County near Middletown and Elkhart, Illinois. Once operational, the project will supply enough electricity to power more than 60,000 homes annually.
“We appreciate the support of the Logan County Board, participating landowners, and local stakeholders for the Pike Creek Wind Project,” Caton Fenz, Chief Executive Officer of ConnectGen said. “Illinois has some of the best wind resources in the country, and we are excited for the opportunity to turn that resource into tangible benefits for Logan County and its residents. ConnectGen is committed to the communities in which we have a presence, and we look forward to being a good community partner here for years to come.”
The Pike Creek Wind Project represents a major capital investment in Logan County and will provide significant long-term benefits to the County for several decades. Once constructed, the Project is expected to contribute approximately $60 million in increased revenue to local taxing jurisdictions over its 30-plus year lifespan, roughly $40 million of which will go to the Mt. Pulaski Community Schools, Lincoln Community High School, New Holland-Middletown Elementary School, and West-Lincoln-Broadwell Elementary School. In addition, the Project is expected to create up to 125 family-wage construction jobs as well as 10 long-term operations jobs.
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About ConnectGen
ConnectGen is a multi-technology renewable energy platform dedicated to best-in-class greenfield development, origination, execution and operations. ConnectGen has 139 net MW in operations and a portfolio of over 20,000 MW of wind, solar and energy storage projects in development across the United States. For more information, please visit www.connectgenllc.com. ConnectGen is a subsidiary of 547 Energy, Quantum Energy Partners’ clean energy platform company.
About Quantum Energy Partners / 547 Energy
547 Energy aims to maximize value for its investors by partnering with leading entrepreneurs who are driving growth in the clean energy economy. To date, 547 Energy has invested in ConnectGen LLC, BlueFloat Energy LLC, Aer Soleir LLC, NetOn LLC and certain affiliates of ENORA S.A. 547 Energy was founded and is led by industry veteran Gabriel Alonso and is backed by Quantum Energy Partners, a leading provider of capital to the global energy industry. For more information on 547 Energy, please visit www.547energy.com, email info@547energy.com, or contact Travis Salinas at tsalinas@547energy.com.
Founded in 1998, Quantum Energy Partners is a leading global provider of private equity, credit, structured capital and venture capital to the responsibly sourced energy and energy transition & decarbonization sectors (what we call the “Sustainable Energy Ecosystem”), having managed together with its affiliates more than $19 billion in capital commitments since inception. For more information on Quantum, please visit www.quantumep.com or contact Michael Dalton at +1-713-452-2110.
Western Area Power Administration Issues Record of Decision for Interconnection of ConnectGen’s 504 MW Wind Project
July 19, 2022 (Houston, TX) – ConnectGen announced today that the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) has issued a Record of Decision (ROD) approving two interconnection requests associated with ConnectGen’s Rail Tie Wind Project, a proposed 504 MW wind energy generation project located in Albany County, Wyoming. The ROD follows the November 2021 release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and documents the completion of the federal authorization to interconnect the project to the WAPA transmission grid, which was concluded after an extensive environmental review per the National Environmental Policy Act.
“The Record of Decision is a major milestone for the Rail Tie Wind Project. It marks the completion of WAPA’s multi-year environmental and technical review, including a detailed analysis of the physical, biological, cultural, and socioeconomic effects of the project,” Caton Fenz, Chief Executive Officer of ConnectGen, said. “We are pleased that WAPA recognized our considerable efforts to minimize these effects, and we thank the WAPA staff for their efforts and thoughtful review over the past two and a half years.”
“Connecting more renewable energy projects to the grid is a critical step in modernizing America’s energy infrastructure and meeting our nation’s growing energy needs,” said WAPA Administrator and CEO Tracey LeBeau. “Our technical analyses found available capacity on WAPA’s system and the comprehensive analysis in the EIS provided environmental impact information, both of which informed the interconnection Record of Decision.”
WAPA’s ROD issuance adds to the roster of major federal, state, and local approvals obtained by the Rail Tie Wind Project. The project previously received a Wind Energy Conversion System permit from the Albany County Board of County Commissioners as well as Section 109 permit approval from the State of Wyoming Industrial Siting Council.
The Rail Tie Wind Project will represent a capital investment of more than $500 million in Albany County and the State of Wyoming, and will generate approximately $130 million in state and local tax revenues during construction and over the life of the project. Twenty percent of the project is sited on state land, and annual wind lease payments to the Office of State Lands and Investments will fund Wyoming’s public schools and institutions. The project will support at least 20 permanent operations jobs as well as hundreds of jobs during construction and will generate millions of dollars of new local economic activity through the procurement of goods and services in the area.
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ABOUT CONNECTGEN
ConnectGen is a multi-technology renewable energy platform dedicated to best-in-class greenfield development, origination, execution and operations. ConnectGen has 139 MW in operations and a portfolio of over 20,000 MW of wind, solar and energy storage projects in development across the United States. For more information, please visit www.connectgenllc.com. ConnectGen is a subsidiary of 547 Energy, Quantum Energy Partners’ clean energy platform company.
ABOUT QUANTUM ENERGY PARTNERS / 547 ENERGY
547 Energy aims to maximize value for its investors by partnering with leading entrepreneurs who are driving growth in the clean energy economy. To date, 547 Energy has invested in ConnectGen LLC, BlueFloat Energy LLC, Aer Soleir LLC, NetOn LLC and certain affiliates of ENORA S.A. 547 Energy was founded and is led by industry veteran Gabriel Alonso and is backed by Quantum Energy Partners, a leading provider of capital to the global energy industry. For more information on 547 Energy, please visit www.547energy.com, email info@547energy.com, or contact Travis Salinas at tsalinas@547energy.com.
Founded in 1998, Quantum Energy Partners is a leading global provider of private equity, credit, structured capital and venture capital to the responsibly sourced energy and energy transition & decarbonization sectors (what we call the “Sustainable Energy Ecosystem”), having managed together with its affiliates more than $18 billion in capital commitments since inception. For more information on Quantum, please visit www.quantumep.com or contact Michael Dalton at +1-713-452-2110.
ConnectGen’s Mill Point Solar and Harvest Hills Solar Projects Receive Additional NYSERDA Contract Awards
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced 20-year contracts for the expanded Mill Point Solar and Harvest Hills Solar Projects through the authority’s 2021 solicitation for large-scale renewables. The contract awards are separate from the previous awards received from NYSERDA’s 2020 solicitation and represent capacity expansions for the projects. The Mill Point Solar and Harvest Hills Solar Projects are among 22 large-scale solar projects (6 including energy storage) across upstate New York, totaling 2,408 MW of renewable capacity, to receive an award.
Connectgen South Ripley Solar Project Permit Application Deemed Complete By New York State Office Of Renewable Energy Siting
April 26, 2022 (Houston, TX) – ConnectGen announced today that the application for its proposed South Ripley Solar Project has been deemed complete by the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES). The South Ripley Solar Project is a proposed 270 MW solar facility with a 20 MW battery energy storage component under development in the Town of Ripley and Chautauqua County, New York.
“This is an exciting milestone for the South Ripley Solar Project, following years of comprehensive surveys and dedicated public outreach,” Caton Fenz, Chief Executive Officer of ConnectGen said. “We want to thank the ORES staff, who invested a tremendous amount of effort to reviewing our application, and we are excited for the opportunity to help New York State further its ambitious energy goals while bringing long-term economic development to the western part of the state.”
Determination of application completeness is a key step towards final permit approval under the renewable energy siting process established by Section 94-c of Executive Law. The next steps are for the South Ripley Solar Project to receive a draft permit, which involves further state agency review, followed by additional public participation prior to final permit issuance.
The South Ripley Solar Project will provide significant long-term benefits to the Town of Ripley and Chautauqua County for several decades. Through the approved PILOT and Host Community Agreements, the Project is expected to contribute over $60 million in increased revenue to local taxing jurisdictions over its 30-plus year lifespan. In addition, the Project is expected to create up to 200 family-wage construction jobs as well as supply enough electricity to power more than 55,000 average New York homes annually. The Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter recently endorsed the Project after a thorough review of the Project’s wildlife impact mitigation practices and community benefits.
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ABOUT CONNECTGEN
ConnectGen is a multi-technology renewable energy platform dedicated to best-in-class greenfield development, origination, execution and operations. ConnectGen has 139 net MW in operations and a portfolio of over 20,000 MW of wind, solar and energy storage projects in development across the United States. For more information, please visit www.connectgenllc.com. ConnectGen is a subsidiary of 547 Energy, Quantum Energy Partners’ clean energy platform company.
ABOUT QUANTUM ENERGY PARTNERS / 547 ENERGY
547 Energy aims to maximize value for its investors by partnering with leading entrepreneurs who are driving growth in the clean energy economy. To date, 547 Energy has invested in ConnectGen LLC, BlueFloat Energy LLC, Aer Soleir LLC, NetOn LLC and certain affiliates of ENORA S.A. 547 Energy was founded and is led by industry veteran Gabriel Alonso and is backed by Quantum Energy Partners, a leading provider of capital to the global energy industry. For more information on 547 Energy, please visit www.547energy.com, email info@547energy.com, or contact Travis Salinas at tsalinas@547energy.com.
Founded in 1998, Quantum Energy Partners is a leading global provider of private equity, credit, structured capital and venture capital to the responsibly sourced energy and energy transition & decarbonization sectors (what we call the “Sustainable Energy Ecosystem”), having managed together with its affiliates more than $18 billion in capital commitments since inception. For more information on Quantum, please visit www.quantumep.com or contact Michael Dalton at +1-713-452-2110.
Incentives approved by county IDA for South Ripley solar project
(Observer Today) – The Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency on Tuesday approved incentives for ConnectGen Chautauqua County LLC’s South Ripley solar project, a 270-megawatt, large-scale solar project located in the town of Ripley.
ConnectGen to support local arts organization
(Laramie Boomerang) – The Laramie Public Art Coalition recently announced a five-year gift from ConnectGen that will fund the coalition’s operational expenses.
County approves Rail Tie permit application
(Laramie Boomerang) – The Albany County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 Tuesday night to approve ConnectGen’s application for a wind energy conversion systems permit for the Rail Tie Wind Project.
The Rail Tie project calls for 120 turbines on 26,000 acres near Tie Siding, with 94 turbines proposed for private land and the rest on state property. Turbines would be almost 600 feet tall. ConnectGen is also seeking federal and state permits for the project.
ConnectGen proposes 250 megawatt solar project in town of Glen
(recordernews.com) – GLEN — Solar developers eyeing the town as the next site of a large-scale project that would cover roughly 1,500 acres of rural land opened the state siting process this week.
The 250 megawatt Mill Point Solar Project proposed by ConnectGen was announced by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority in 2020 as one of 21 large-scale solar projects selected across the state to help meet New York’s goal of sourcing 70% of the state’s power from renewable energy sources. Read more…
ConnectGen’s South Ripley Solar Project Signs An Agreement With the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities
November 17, 2020 (Houston, TX) – ConnectGen LLC (“ConnectGen”) is pleased to announce that a wholly owned subsidiary has signed a 10-year agreement with the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities to sell Tier-1 Renewable Energy Credits (“RECs”) produced by the South Ripley Solar Project. Each REC represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt hour of electricity generated from a renewable resource, such as solar or wind.
The South Ripley Solar Project is a planned 270 megawatt (MW) alternating current, photovoltaic solar energy facility that will be located in the town of Ripley in Chautauqua County, New York. Additionally, the development will include a 20 MW battery storage component. The Project is currently expected to start construction as early as 2022. Once constructed, the Project will provide more than $20 million in tax revenues to the Town of Ripley and Chautauqua County over the Project’s operational life.
This is the second REC purchase agreement that ConnectGen has signed to sell RECs that will be generated by the South Ripley Solar Project. In March 2020, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (“NYSERDA”) announced a 20-year contract award for the Project through the agency’s 2019 solicitation for large-scale renewables.
Caton Fenz, CEO of ConnectGen said, “We are pleased to contract with the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities for the sale of renewable energy credits and to help them meet the state’s ambitious clean energy goals. This agreement, along with the NYSERDA award, show that there is a growing demand for renewable energy across the state of New York. We look forward to continuing to safely and responsibly develop the South Ripley Solar Project, which will both help New York State achieve 70 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030 and bring decades of economic benefits to the Town of Ripley and Chautauqua County.”
“We are very satisfied to have reached a contractual agreement with ConnectGen,” stated Jamestown Board of Public Utilities General Manager David L. Leathers. “To have such a large-scale solar and storage project planned for construction in our County is extremely significant, and the Jamestown BPU is happy to be able to procure some of its required customer-funded REC’s from a local project.”
“This ten-year contract represents a modest commitment that increases our options of purchasing RECs under the New York State mandated renewable energy program and adds to the BPU’s existing portfolio, which is already over ninety percent clean, renewable energy,” continues Leathers. “We appreciate the efforts and professionalism of the ConnectGen team and look forward to the project becoming a reality in a few short years.”
ConnectGen LLC is a subsidiary of 547 Energy, Quantum Energy Partners’ clean energy platform company.
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ABOUT CONNECTGEN
Founded in 2018, ConnectGen’s strategy is to apply its proven ability to develop, construct and operate clean energy assets to create a multi-technology portfolio of generation and storage projects across North America. The company currently has 139 MW of solar projects in operations and is developing over 8,000 MW of wind, solar and energy storage projects across the United States. For more information, please visit www.connectgenllc.com.
ABOUT QUANTUM ENERGY PARTNERS / 547 ENERGY
Founded in 1998, Quantum Energy Partners is a leading provider of private equity capital to the global energy industry, having managed together with its affiliates more than $17 billion in equity commitments since inception. For more information on Quantum, please visit www.quantumep.com or contact Michael Dalton at (713) 452-2110.
547 Energy is the clean energy platform of Quantum Energy Partners. To date, 547 Energy has invested in ConnectGen (USA),ENORA S.A. (Greece), and BlueFloat Energy (offshore wind). 547 Energy was founded and is led by industry veteran Gabriel Alonso. For more information on 547 Energy, please email info@547energy.com.
ABOUT THE JAMESTOWN BPU
Beginning operations in 1891 and formally established in 1923, the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities in Jamestown, New York, is a municipally-owned utility and is one of the largest generating public power utilities in New York State. Its mission is to provide environmentally sound, efficient, cost-effective electric, water, solid waste, wastewater and district heating services while actively encouraging the economic growth and development of its community.
The Jamestown BPU serves the utility needs of the City of Jamestown, the Villages
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