▁▁▁
- The 6.5 MW solar power plant is the largest and the latest of the three facilities commissioned by a collaboration of Rhode Island public housing authorities in 2021 to provide clean energy to the local power grid.
- The installations provide approximately 20 million kilowatt hours annually and are expected to reduce energy costs by more than $35 million over the next 20 years.
- Leveraging its deep knowledge of decarbonization, power optimization and solar generation, Veolia was enlisted by Public Housing Authorities of Rhode Island (PHARI) to serve as a buy-side agent for the collaboration of housing authorities and as technical advisor.
- Perfectly aligned with the decarbonization objectives promoted by Veolia’s GreenUp strategy, the project is a first of its kind in the U.S., encompassing multiple solar arrays and multiple public housing authorities under a single renewable energy contract, paving the way for future similar collaborations.
▁▁▁
Providence, R.I. – Two New England leaders in the development of sustainable energy solutions - Veolia and Nautilus Solar Energy (Nautilus) - today unveiled a 6.5 megawatt (MW) solar installation in Exeter, Rhode Island, named: “Exeter Mail.”
The installation is one of three that supplies renewable energy to the Rhode Island electric grid, in exchange for utility bill credits for regional housing authorities, lowering their operating costs and ultimately lowering energy prices for public housing residents. Announced in 2021, the construction of the project is now complete, and all three solar installations are supplying green energy to the Rhode Island electric grid.
The collaboration between PHARI, Nautilus and Veolia is a first of its kind in the nation encompassing multiple public housing authorities under a single renewable energy contract. The Exeter Mail installation is the largest of three contracted by the housing authorities.
Combined, the three sites exceed 20 million kWh annually removing approximately 13,500 metric tons of greenhouse gases, the equivalent of taking more than 3,000 cars off the road. The market value of the generation from the three projects will be distributed among nine housing authorities in Rhode Island (Providence, North Providence, Newport, Cranston, Smithfield, Warwick, Warren, Bristol and Lincoln) in the form of utility bill credits. The credits will generate a discount against prevailing electricity supply rates, which lowers the operating budgets of the housing authorities in a region with some of the highest energy costs in the U.S.1, benefiting both taxpayers and public housing families.
Located primarily in the towns of Exeter and Smithfield, the projects are estimated to save over $35 million in energy costs over the next 20 years.
Nautilus has overseen the development, permitting and construction of the solar installation. The company will now look after the ongoing management, maintenance and performance for the life of the projects, estimated at 25 to 30 years. Leveraging its deep knowledge of decarbonization, power optimization, and solar generation, Veolia was selected by PHARI to serve as a buy-side agent for the collaboration of housing authorities to manage the procurement effort, advise technically and manage the complexity of the vendor selection process.
The energy generated from the projects now feeds into the electric utility territory of Rhode Island Energy, a subsidiary of PPL Corporation. The completion of the Exeter Mail 6.5 MW field, the third of three that were contracted, marks the conclusion of this project.
Karin Hamel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Veolia’s Sustainable Industries and Buildings business said: “Veolia is proud to contribute to this transformative solar installation, which not only harnesses the power of renewable energy but also directly supports the well-being of thousands of low-income families in Rhode Island. This project aligns with Veolia’s GreenUp strategy. Producing local, low-carbon energy is a critical growth booster for accelerating ecological transformation. This project is a perfect example of how green energy can be used for good.”
Jeffrey Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Nautilus Solar said: “This solar installation marks an important milestone in our mission to make clean energy more accessible. By delivering the benefits of community solar directly to public housing residents, we’re pioneering a model that supports renewable energy goals while delivering long-term economic benefits to the local community. Rhode Island continues to be a key state for innovation in clean energy access, and we’re proud to continue growing our investment in the state while building stronger, more resilient communities.”
Robert Coupe, PHARI Co-President and Executive Director of Cranston Housing Authority said: “Every housing authority in Rhode Island is working to provide the highest quality affordable housing possible with limited budgets. Our partnership with Veolia and Nautilus dramatically reduces utility costs, freeing up valuable resources to invest in property maintenance, facility improvements and operational support. By supporting the growth of renewable energy projects, we are improving the quality of life for future generations while enhancing our ability to serve current residents.”
1 US EIA - United States Energy Information Agency (Government Agency)
▁▁▁
ABOUT VEOLIA IN NORTH AMERICA
Veolia in North America is the top-ranked environmental company in the United States for three consecutive years, and the country’s largest private water operator and technology provider as well as hazardous waste and pollution treatment leader. It offers a full spectrum of water, waste, and energy management services, including water and wastewater treatment, commercial and hazardous waste collection and disposal, energy consulting and resource recovery. Veolia helps commercial, industrial, healthcare, higher education and municipality customers throughout North America. Headquartered in Boston, Veolia has more than 10,000 employees working at more than 350 locations across North America.
www.veolianorthamerica.com
ABOUT VEOLIA GROUP
Veolia group aims to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. Present on five continents with 215,000 employees, the Group designs and deploys useful, practical solutions for the management of water, waste and energy that are contributing to a radical turnaround of the current situation. Through its three complementary activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, to preserve available resources and to renew them. In 2024, the Veolia group provided 111 million inhabitants with drinking water and 98 million with sanitation, produced 42 million megawatt hours of energy and treated 65 million tonnes of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE) achieved consolidated revenue of 44.7 billion euros in 2024.
www.veolia.com
ABOUT NAUTILUS SOLAR ENERGY LLC
Founded in 2006, Nautilus has become one of the largest community solar businesses in the U.S. and a contributor to America’s clean energy transition. Delivering affordable, clean energy solutions to residential and commercial customers, Nautilus currently operates and manages 146 community solar farms across 12 states and serves over 45,000 subscribers. It takes a unique, full-service approach to its community solar business—handling project financing, development, construction, maintenance and customer management for the entire lifespan of every project. Nautilus is backed by Power Sustainable, a multi-platform alternative asset manager and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Power Corporation of Canada. For more information, visit nautilussolar.com. Join Nautilus on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
▁▁▁
CONTACTS
VEOLIA
Chris Huk
Communications Manager, Sustainable Industries and Buildings
+1 832-457-9153
[email protected]
NAUTILUS SOLAR
Antonya Asante
[email protected]