CVE North America, a subsidiary of French developer CVE, has started construction on its first solar project integrated with battery storage in New York State. The Riverhead project is located on a redeveloped former municipal landfill in the town of the same name and includes a 7 megawatt (MW) solar power plant paired with a 13.6 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery system.
The hybrid system is expected to generate approximately 12,000 MWh annually, which corresponds to the yearly electricity consumption of around 1,500 households, according to projections provided by CVE. The battery will allow stored energy to be redistributed during peak demand periods, thereby enhancing the reliability of the local power grid.
A targeted investment in reconverted assets
This project marks CVE’s first investment in energy storage in the state, although the company has already deployed 95 MW of community solar capacity in Massachusetts and New York. The selection of an inactive site is part of a strategy to repurpose underutilised land with the objective of generating energy returns on properties with initially low commercial value.
The company has not disclosed the total investment amount but confirmed its intent to continue expanding its US portfolio. The Riverhead project is part of a pipeline currently under development across multiple states.
Local partnership and regional deployment
CVE North America partnered with the Town of Riverhead to secure the site’s use. The municipality approved the landfill conversion, allowing the company to install energy infrastructure without encroaching on natural or agricultural land.
“The Riverhead project is a major step in the development of our storage capabilities and shows how a strategic investment can strengthen local energy systems,” said Ben Dereume, Technical Director of CVE North America, in a statement issued on May 15.
