Environmental Leader Names Denver Solar+Storage Microgrid a 2017 Project of the Year

Unique microgrid at Peña Station NEXT smart city development supports
a clean, reliable power grid

DENVER–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A Panasonic-led solar-plus-storage microgrid at Peña Station NEXT, a
382-acre smart and sustainable development in Denver, has earned the
title of 2017 Environmental Leader Project of the Year. Project partners
include Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company, Xcel Energy, Denver
International Airport, LC Fulenwider, Inc., and Younicos. Partners share
microgrid assets and benefits in a multi-stakeholder “portfolio” model
that helps the utility modernize and manage its electricity grid with
innovative technologies, aids grid integration of solar PV, strengthens
resilience (including through backup power) for customers and critical
loads, and supports the sustainability goals of diverse organizations.

Organized by Environmental Leader magazine, a leading trade
publication focused on corporate energy management, environmental and
sustainability initiatives, the annual Environmental Leader Product &
Project Awards recognize excellence and innovation in products, services
and projects that support business’ efforts in these areas, including
positively impacting the bottom line. A panel of independent judges
scored projects. Peter Bussey of LNS Research headed the panel. Judges
came from across the corporate environmental and sustainability space,
including: ATT, Best Buy, Caesars, Fetzer Vineyards, General Motors,
Kellogg, Marriott, MillerCoors, Novartis, Safeway, Sears Holdings
Corporation, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, and Tyco Global Products.

“We’re honored to receive this recognition from Environmental Leader,”
said George Karayannis, VP of CityNOW, Panasonic’s North American smart
city initiative that is a driving force for a comprehensive suite of
smart and sustainable solutions deployed at transit-oriented development
Peña Station NEXT. “The unique approach taken with the ‘portfolio’
microgrid at Peña Station NEXT can shed light onto replicating and
scaling similar deployments in and beyond Colorado.”

The portfolio of shared assets that comprise the microgrid include:

• 1.6 MW_dc carport solar photovoltaic (PV) system
• 259 kW_dc rooftop solar PV array atop Panasonic’s facility
• Anchor electricity load at Panasonic’s Technology and Business
  Solutions Center
• 1 MW / 2MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS)
• Switching/control systems to operate the BESS and microgrid
  functionality

Unlike many microgrids that are behind the meter of a single entity—such
as a military, corporate, or college campus—stakeholders “share” assets
at Peña Station NEXT. For example, Denver International Airport owns the
parking lot and carport structure; Xcel Energy owns and operates the
solar PV system atop the structure under a long-term lease; Panasonic
performs the operations and maintenance on the system.

The BESS, owned and operated by Xcel Energy, leverages the microgrid
assets to perform a stack of five distinct but complementary use cases
that aid grid integration of solar energy, improve power quality and
reliability for C&I customers like Panasonic, and improve operations of
Xcel Energy’s distribution grid. The ability to stack revenue through a
multi-use microgrid is key to making energy storage a more
cost-effective endeavor, and the project will undergo two years of
testing to analyze and review real-world performance to determine the
optimal setting for the rest of the battery’s estimated 10-year life
span.

“Solar PV and battery energy storage systems will be core technologies
in the future electricity grid,” said Jamie Evans, managing director of
the Energy Solutions Group at Panasonic Enterprise Solutions. “As a
global player with decades of experience in both technologies, and as a
solutions-focused company with strong partnerships throughout the energy
industry, Panasonic is proud to partner with our fellow stakeholders at
Peña to bring innovative projects like this to life.”

True to the overarching theme of the Environmental Leader conference at
which the award was announced, the solar+storage microgrid is also the
latest testament of Panasonic’s commitment to corporate sustainability.
For example, Panasonic ranked #5 globally in Interbrand/Deloitte’s 2014
Best Global Green Brands, and has a publicly stated sustainability
ambition to become #1 by the company’s 100th birthday in 2018.
Panasonic’s North American headquarters in Newark, NJ, earned both LEED
Platinum and Gold certifications, and includes a rooftop solar PV
system. Panasonic’s Denver operations hub that opened in September 2016
is targeting LEED Gold certification and, with the completion of a 259
kWdc rooftop solar PV system, will be at least net-zero energy.

About Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company

Denver-based Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company includes CityNOW,
Panasonic’s North American smart city initiative, and the Energy
Solutions Group, which focuses on large-scale solar PV project
development and integrated energy solutions for telecom. Panasonic
Enterprise Solutions Company is a wholly-owned business unit of Newark,
NJ-based Panasonic Corporation of North America, a leading technology
partner and integrator to businesses, government agencies, and consumers
across the region. The company is the principal North American
subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation and the hub of
Panasonic’s U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service, and R&D
operations. Panasonic was featured in Fortune Magazine’s 2016 ranking of
50 companies that are changing the world and doing well by doing good.
Specifically cited were its smart and sustainable technologies,
including its contributions to smart cities and the electric vehicle
revolution. Learn more about Panasonic at us.panasonic.com/news.

About Xcel Energy

Xcel Energy (NYSE:XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes
and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered
in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly
reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy
solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For
more information, visit xcelenergy.com or
follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

About Younicos

Younicos is a global leader for intelligent energy storage and grid
solutions. Clients benefit from technical expertise, commercial know-how
and in-depth experience built on 150 megawatts installed in 37 energy
storage projects worldwide. The company was founded in 2005 in Berlin,
Germany, and currently employs more than 130 storage experts there and
in Austin, Texas (USA). For more information please visit www.younicos.com and
follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Environmental Leader

Since 2006, Environmental Leader’s website and daily email newsletter
have provided the definitive and objective voice in reporting on
business-related energy, environmental, and sustainability issues.
Visit: http://www.environmentalleader.com.

About the Environmental Leader Product & Project Awards

In its fifth year, the Environmental Leader Product & Project Awards
recognize excellence in products and services that provide companies
with energy and environmental benefits, or in corporate projects that
improved environmental, sustainability or energy management and
increased the bottom line. It is a five-point rating system designed to
offer companies feedback and recognition. For a complete list of
winners, visit www.environmentalleader.com/environmental-leader-product-project-awards-2017/.

Contacts

Media:
G&S Business Communications
Christina
Atkinson, 212-697-2600 x1209
[email protected]