Solar-Plus for Electric Co-ops (SPECs) is a new project led by Cliburn and Associates, to help optimize the procurement and operations of battery storage projects for local electric cooperatives. The project was one of eight selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for the second round of the Solar Energy Innovation Network (SEIN). Cliburn and Associates is joined by a number of partners on this project, including Cobb Electric Membership Corp., Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, United Power, and North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center. Since the project's inception, we have coordinated with efforts under the leadership of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the larger world of electric co-ops and their upstream partners, seeking solutions that work in a range of different market environments. We also have sparked more open discussions with storage industry providers.
SEIN supports multi-stakeholder teams pursuing new applications of solar energy and other distributed energy resources in unique locations and contexts. The solutions developed by the teams are demonstrated and validated in real-world contexts, making them ready for replication and scale. Since our project kick-off coincided almost perfectly with national Covid shutdowns, the Cliburn and Associates team has confirmed that our planning mantra to "expect the unexpected" applies more than ever to every aspect of local resource project planning. We will open a new tab on this website as a portal for more co-ops and industry players to join in our developing progress!
SEIN supports multi-stakeholder teams pursuing new applications of solar energy and other distributed energy resources in unique locations and contexts. The solutions developed by the teams are demonstrated and validated in real-world contexts, making them ready for replication and scale. Since our project kick-off coincided almost perfectly with national Covid shutdowns, the Cliburn and Associates team has confirmed that our planning mantra to "expect the unexpected" applies more than ever to every aspect of local resource project planning. We will open a new tab on this website as a portal for more co-ops and industry players to join in our developing progress!