INTERVIEW: Solar Simplified expands New York footprint with acquisition of Northern Power and Light

Solar Simplified has announced its acquisition of Northern Power and Light (NP&L), a vertically integrated distributed renewable power producer for New York’s Niagara-Mohawk electric grid. The acquisition will allow Solar Simplified to expand its footprint in New York by integrating NP&L’s subscriber network and active project portfolio into its national platform.

Solar Simplified CEO, Aviv Shalgi, told NPM the acquisition included approximately 40 MW of community solar assets, and since the acquisition closed last month, the company acquired an additional 40 MW, bringing its total portfolio to more than 350 MW of community solar.

More than 500 MW of additional assets are currently under construction and another 500 MW are in late-stage negotiations, according to Shalgi, who anticipates surpassing 1 GW next year.

NP&L will retain its name and operate as a subsidiary of Solar Simplified. Under the agreement, NP&L will continue to manage its own projects with their respective developers and asset owners. However, the backend systems, technology, and all subscriber-facing operations which includes customer acquisition, management, billing, and utility relations will be combined with Solar Simplified.

The model, which requires no upfront acquisition costs for developers and asset owners, will also allow NP&L to improve its offerings to asset owners, which includes free subscriber acquisition and 100% free churn replacement, which NP&L did not previously offer.

The model also protects project economics and enhances long-term profitability for asset owners by eliminating subscriber-related risk for a project’s full lifecycle, according to Shalgi.

Shalgi declined to share the deal amount but said it was a “multi-million dollar, all cash acquisition.”

“This acquisition solidifies our leadership position in one of the fastest growing energy markets in the country,” said Shalgi. “We’re not just expanding – we’re building the most reliable, financially disciplined, and scalable platform in Community Distributed Generation. Our focus on efficiency, transparency, and guaranteed performance is redefining what developers and asset owners expect from an aggregator.”

NP&L founders, Emmett and Ethan Smith, will join the Solar Simplified team to grow the NP&L business line. The brothers were the only full-time employees with the business at the time of the transaction.

Earlier this year, Solar Simplified inked a preferred equity deal with CIM Group for a 97 MW solar portfolio. The company also partnered on numerous projects with developers that include PowerbankStandard Solar,Cipriani Energy, and Convergent, according to NPM intel.

 

*This story was originally published exclusively for NPM subscribers.

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