Solar developer: Array on Gold property will be operational in 2026

NORTH SMITHFIELD – A Massachusetts-based developer and operator of renewable energy and energy storage systems has acquired a solar project set to be built on Mattity Road, with plans to be operational by the end of 2026.

Agilitas Energy purchased the project, with construction slated to begin this year. Developer Anthony DelVicario previously secured permitting for the project on property previously owned by the Gold family’s Bel Air Realty.

The solar arrangement was just one facet of a larger deal through which the town gained ownership of 124 acres of land previously owned by the Golds and known for its historic and environmental significance. As part of the agreement, 37.4 acres will be leased for a ground mounted photovoltaic system for $1 a year for 25 years, with one 5 year renewal option.

Town Planner Mark Carruolo noted that the property is leased to Rhode Island Solar Energy V, but that LLC the ability to assign the project under the terms.

When the lease runs out, the operator is expected to remove the solar project within 120 days, according to the planning decision authorizing the deal, which also required cash surety for the eventual decommissioning. The full property will then revert to town control.

Agilitas announced news of the acquisition last week in a press release pointing to a 12.5-megawatt array, measuring the output in direct current or DC – while the 9.5 megawatt referenced in town approvals used alternating current or AC. The project is expected to generate approximately 16,000 megawatt-hours of clean energy annually, enough to power over 2,500 Rhode Island homes.

Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

“This acquisition marks another significant step in Agilitas Energy’s mission to add resilient and clean power solutions across the United States,” noted the release on the deal from the Wakefield, Mass.-based energy developer.

Planning documents note that the leased 37 acres will be cleared and surrounded by fencing, with the remaining acres along Mattity Road made available to residents for hiking and recreation. Some of the original trails on the land, put in and maintained for years by the late David Gold, will be removed to make way for the solar array. As part of the deal, the developer must build new connecting trails, a paved bike path running from Mattity Road to the western end of the property, and four public parking spaces by the entrance to the lot.

A conservation easement in place on the area targeted for solar – in place since 1992 – was terminated in a decision by the Town Council earlier this month, with the remaining acreage of the lot to instead be held in conservation. A deal decades in the making, the unique arrangement for the land allowed the town to acquire the acreage free of charge.

The Agilitas project will participate in Rhode Island’s Net Metering Credit program, providing credits that offset 100 percent of supply, distribution, transmission and transition charges for each kilowatt-hour produced. Because development began before the state’s eligibility deadline, the project is grandfathered under Rhode Island’s original rules, making it eligible for the full 100 percent credit value. Projects developed after the cutoff face a 275-megawatt cap and receive reduced value credit.

The credits will be sold to commercial, industrial, public or municipal customers within the Rhode Island Energy territory, offering them long-term energy savings and price stability, according to Agilitas.

It is not the company’s first project in northern Rhode Island. Agilitas Energy built the largest battery energy storage system in Rhode Island through a partnership with the Pascoag Utility District – now know as Clear River Electric & Water District – in 2021. That project was recognized as a renewable energy and efficiency achievement by state officials in 2023.

“In an era where tariffs and policy shifts are reshaping the clean energy landscape, acquiring this project underscores Agilitas Energy’s commitment to navigating these challenges head-on and strengthening energy infrastructure in whatever way we can,” said Barrett Bilotta, CEO of Agilitas Energy. “By integrating this project into our portfolio, we not only reinforce our commitment to establishing resilient energy infrastructure but also contribute to local grid reliability and economic growth. This move exemplifies our ability to adapt and lead in a dynamic industry landscape.”