SolarCity and Direct Energy, an energy services company, will provide solar electricity and solar energy storage systems at two BJ’s Wholesale Club locations, an operator of warehouse clubs in the eastern United States.
Two BJ’s Wholesale Club sites in Framingham and Dedham, Mass. are early adopters of DemandLogic, SolarCity’s smart energy storage system for businesses and commercial users. These are the first BJ’s Clubs to install solar energy coupled with storage and will be the first two sites on the East Coast to utilize SolarCity’s DemandLogic platform.
“BJ’s is proud to once again partner with Direct Energy and SolarCity and apply a new smart energy storage system that expands our environmental commitment,” said Kevin Moran, manager of utility and energy services at BJ’s Wholesale Club. “Solar coupled with battery storage is a great, cost efficient and long-lasting solution for large retailers like BJ’s. Improvements like these help keep costs low so we can pass on more savings to our valued members. “
The Framingham Club will have more than 400 kilowatts of solar energy while Dedham will install 764 kilowatts of solar energy. Both BJ’s Clubs will be installed in conjunction with a 200 kilowatt lithium-ion battery storage system that cuts energy costs by using stored electricity to lower peak demand. These two DemandLogic systems are expected to be installed by February 2015. The projects have the potential to save BJ’s thousands of dollars each year on their demand charges alone at each site, and also provide a long-term hedge against rising demand rates. SolarCity will also install a 1.3 megawatt solar system on BJ’s distribution facility in Uxbridge, Mass. this year.
“Pairing battery storage with solar PV systems is a new and viable opportunity that positions Direct Energy Business as a total energy management service provider for commercial and industrial customers,” said John Schultz, president of Direct Energy Business. “This long-term agreement with these two BJ locations presents an opportunity for us to expand beyond our core commodity offering and in the process, build a longer-term customer relationship.”
“DemandLogic was created to provide relief from the onerous demand charges faced by commercial facilities such as BJ’s Wholesale Club,” said Bob Rudd, director of energy storage project development at SolarCity. “These projects are a testament to our ability to provide customers with immediate savings from a combined solar plus storage system. We’re excited to be working with BJ’s Wholesale Club and Direct Energy Business on one of the first-of-its-kind storage installations in the country.”
SolarCity, Direct Energy Business, and BJ’s have already installed one solar system together at a North Brunswick, N.J. site and BJ’s boasts nearly 20 solar projects total across the United States. All three BJ’s projects announced today were made possible by a dedicated investment fund created by Direct Energy and SolarCity in 2013 to finance up to $124 million in solar projects.