NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Convergent Energy and Power (Convergent), a leading provider of energy storage solutions in North America, today announced it has broken ground on a 3MW/9MWh utility-scale battery storage system for Massachusetts’s municipally-owned utility company West Boylston Municipal Light Plant (WBMLP). The system is expected to stabilize costs for its customers and further insulate against rising energy costs. Convergent will finance, own, and operate the WBMLP system, leveraging its proprietary energy storage intelligence, PEAK IQ®.
Utilities are increasingly pursuing battery storage systems to reduce transmission and capacity costs for their customers, which are predicted to increase for the foreseeable future. In ISO New England, where WBMLP is located, the main transmission cost applied to customers (RNS) is predicted to increase by 20% in 2025.
Systems like Convergent’s can optimize renewable energy performance, reduces costs, and increase reliability if deployed and managed intelligently. Convergent will charge and discharge its battery storage system for WBMLP at strategic times, storing energy when it is cheapest and cleanest and discharging energy to displace the most expensive and carbon-intensive periods.
WBMLP sources 56% of its energy supply from clean and renewable sources, putting it ahead of state-mandated Greenhouse Gas Emissions goals. The project will be co-located next to West Boylston’s existing solar and flywheel assets.
“This battery storage system will allow West Boylston Municipal Light Plant to continue delivering reliable, sustainable, cost-effective electricity to our customers,” said General Manager, Jon Fitch, West Boylston Municipal Light Plant. “We’re thrilled to work with Convergent Energy and Power to keep electricity rates manageable for our customers while also working ahead of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions goals.”
“U.S. electricity demand is expected to increase by 50% by 2050—and energy storage has never been more critical to our electric grid or our communities,” said Johannes Rittershausen, Chief Executive Officer, Convergent Energy and Power. “Together with the West Boylston Municipal Light Plant, Convergent Energy and Power is proud to accelerate the clean energy transition in Massachusetts with a system that will bring the West Boylston community a cleaner, more cost-effective and reliable grid.”
The system is projected to come online in the third quarter of 2025.
About Convergent Energy and Power
Convergent Energy and Power (Convergent) is a leading provider of energy storage solutions in North America. Convergent has over a decade of experience financing and managing all aspects of the energy storage development cycle to help customers reduce electricity costs and increase reliability. The company’s commercial, industrial, and utility-scale assets can yield seven-figure savings while advancing the clean energy transition. Convergent’s proprietary asset management platform, PEAK IQ® leverages machine learning and deep market knowledge to optimize asset performance and maximize value. Convergent has over $1bn invested in or committed to assets in operation or under development across North America. For more information, visit convergentep.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
About West Boylston Municipal Light Plant
West Boylston Municipal Light Plant (WBMLP) was established in 1909 and operates as a not-for-profit, publicly owned, electric utility. The 3,800 customers in West Boylston regulate WBMLP through a locally elected and independent Board of Light Commissioners. Our mission is to provide low cost, highly reliable, and the least greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting energy supply in our service territory. Our ratepayers are our shareholders, and they directly participate in governing their locally owned municipal light plant.
Contacts
Convergent Press Contact
Kate Siskel
SVP, Marketing and Communications
Convergent Energy and Power
ksiskel [at] convergentep.com
917-508-0274
WBMLP Media Contact
Jonathan Fitch
General Manager
[email protected]
508-835-3681
