Onyx Saves Downey, CA $10M with Solar + Storage
Onyx completes municipal solar+storage portfolio for Downey, CA
In early 2023, Onyx completed a 1.6MW solar and 2.2MWh storage portfolio for the City of Downey in CA, a process which began with the City's selective RFP process in 2021.
Through a 25-year PPA, which includes all battery equipment and operating costs, Onyx will deliver Downey an estimated $10M in utility cost savings over the lifetime of the projects.
With energy production estimated at over 2.675MWh in year one, the City is expected to avoid utility costs upwards of $475k in its first year of solar + storage operation alone.
The clean energy solutions are estimated to offset ~90% of energy consumption at municipal facilities.
In addition to lower energy costs afforded by solar energy, Onyx's storage solutions will provide additional utility savings to Downey through program-automated peak demand shaving and time-of-use-related energy discharge incentives.
The battery storage will also provide the municipal facilities with energy resiliency against rolling power outages that CA typically experiences during high fire and wind seasons.
Currently, Onyx is equipping the City of Downey with solar and/or storage at six municipal locations through a combination of carport canopy and rooftop solutions: Downey City Hall, Police Department, Library & Theatre, Barbara J. Riley Senior Center, and Columbia Memorial Space Center.
First multi-family community in New York state to be awarded LEED Platinum certification
As a direct result of Onyx’s efforts, StuyTown and Peter Cooper Village became the first multi-family communities in New York state to be awarded LEED Platinum certification, the highest level of green building certification.
The StuyTown and Peter Cooper Village project also benefits New York City as a whole. All energy generated by the StuyTown panels is collected and distributed in the power grid by the local utility, Consolidated Edison (Con Edison). This extra solar energy will help reduce outages by taking pressure off the grid when demand for electricity is peaking on hot summer days.
“It was a great pleasure working with the Onyx Renewables team on the City of Downey’s $10 million Solar Energy Improvement Project. Onyx Renewables was very professional and collaborative throughout the planning, design, construction and commissioning of our six facilities. They worked with us tirelessly in order to achieve the highest possible energy cost savings for the City. I will not hesitate to work with them in the future.”
Downey won the American Public Works Association (APWA) Award in 2022 for its clean energy initiatives.
