Convergent provides ‘non-wires alternative’ to transmission upgrade with New York PV-storage system

By Andy Colthorpe
May 25, 2022
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The project pairs 15MWdc of solar with 10MW/40MWh of battery storage. Image: Convergent Energy + Power.

Energy storage solutions provider Convergent Energy + Power has completed a solar-plus-storage plant in Upstate New York that was built as a ‘non-wires alternative’ to more expensive network upgrades.

The New York town of Cicero is served by the Pine Grove substation in utility National Grid’s service territory. It has experienced congestion and electrical stress in recent years and more is expected as both demand for electricity and the growth of renewable energy resources continue.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Rather than building out the local transmission and distribution (T&D) network with power lines or new substations to accommodate or enable that, National Grid launched a competitive tender process in 2018, open to proposals for various kinds of distributed energy resources (DER) solutions.

The specified need was for 10MW of load relief up to 2031, with a maximum need for up to 49MWh per day, with summer peak load forecasted to exceed 100% of the Pine Grove substation’s emergency rating during this decade.

Developer Convergent Energy + Power’s winning proposal combines 15MWdc of solar PV with a 10MW/40MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). Convergent designed and built the project and will manage its operation.

The solar-plus-storage plant will increase the substation’s capacity cost-effectively, while increasing the amount of renewable energy used in the area.

Read the full story on PV Tech’s sister site Energy-Storage.news.

Read Next

Premium
October 17, 2025
According to Ronak Maheshwari of CRC-IB, there has been a struggle for US renewable power projects to secure necessary equity .
October 17, 2025
Norwegian renewable energy firm Scatec has signed lease agreements for 64MW of solar PV and 10MWh of energy storage capacity in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
October 13, 2025
The world is on pace to exceed 3TW of cumulative solar installations by the end of the year, according to a report from DNV.
October 10, 2025
Australia's renewable energy sector recorded its slowest month of the year for additions in September, with 5.8GW of new projects added to development pipelines, according to data from Rystad Energy.
October 9, 2025
The Australian government has announced the results of the fourth Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) tender, with 6.6GW of renewables awarded long-term contracts.
October 9, 2025
Solar PV is the world’s cheapest technology to generate electricity, according to a study from the University of Surrey, in the UK.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK