Freestanding solar power generation structure offsets energy costs and offers optional battery backup

SOLAR POWER INTERNATIONAL, CHICAGO; Oct. 22, 2013 ¾ NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG), through its wholly owned subsidiary NRG Solar – one of the nation’s largest solar developers – today announced the offering of the fully customizable, freestanding NRG Solar Canopy. The introduction marks a major step forward in expanding the viability of solar installations beyond large rooftop structures. The canopy can provide supplemental power on and/or off the grid (dependent on configuration) to help manage energy costs along with usable shade and shelter.

Using a modular kit produced by Sunora Energy Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Solar LLC, the modular design reduces cost and time of installation are reduced without sacrificing customization to meet each customer’s unique requirements.

“In the wake of Hurricane Sandy’s devastation, NRG began to take a more urgent look at providing a solution that could meet basic power needs in the event of a grid emergency,” said Tom Doyle, president and CEO of NRG Solar. “We believe in bringing renewable energy solutions—like the NRG Solar Canopy—to customers in new and innovative ways that extend beyond the rooftop so customers are not limited in their approach to energy independence.”

Innovation Provides Options for Businesses

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) recognizes the top solar adopters to be some of the country’s most recognizable brands with large footprints and buildings with flat roofs that can support rooftop solar installations. The introduction of NRG’s Solar Canopy will bring the power of solar beyond the roof in conjunction with existing solar installations, as well as to new business types to further expand the use of solar and benefits of lowering operating costs and increasing profits.

The NRG Solar Canopy can be incorporated into large-scale commercial use as part of a comprehensive rooftop, ground mount, or solar parking solution that could also be included in a power purchase agreement (PPA) from NRG Solar. The canopy is optimal for universities, hospitals, gas stations, banks, stadiums, bus stops and remote locations such as islands, parks and farms, and dependent on installation size, can power a variety of appliances – from laptops to ATMs. It will come in four models that will generate from 2.44 kW to 7.32 kW of power depending on the geographic location:

1. Solar Canopy Mini: dimensions are 15 feet x 14 feet; 2,440W

2. Solar Canopy Model 1: dimensions are 7.5 feet x 27 feet; 2,440W

3. Solar Canopy Model 2: dimensions are 15 feet x 27 feet; 4,880W

4. Solar Canopy Model 3: dimensions are 22.5 feet x 27 feet; 7,320W

“Upon testing the idea with customers, we found that there also existed a strong demand for a solar power generating solution that would complement their architectural environment and make a statement for their brand,” said Doyle.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, through its partnership with NRG, is deploying solar canopies in addition to rooftop and ground mounted solar installations on selected hotels and resorts. These canopies will be customized to match the look and feel of each resort, and purposed in diverse ways including luxury pool cabanas, a golf starter shack, shaded recreation areas, and covered food and beverage areas.

“At Starwood, we are making every effort to reduce our energy consumption and work toward our company’s sustainability goals,” said Andrea Pinabell, director of sustainability, global citizenship at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. “Partnering with NRG to install solar canopies in a variety of customized configurations not only help us offset our electricity costs and reduce the company’s carbon footprint but also adds a design element to our properties which can add to the guest experience.”

Canopies are currently installed at NRG headquarters in Princeton, and are being installed in New Jersey and Greensgrow Farms in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Solar Canopy Offers Battery Storage Options

The Solar Canopy offers grid autonomy through its optional bi-modal and off-grid capabilities, allowing unused solar energy to be stored to an optional battery backup housed within the canopy, instead of being sent to the public grid.

These optional battery “banks” come in strings of eight. Each string provides the equivalent to approximately 1.5 days of reliable power depending on power usage. For customers who already have diesel, propane or natural gas-powered back-up generators, these batteries offer further assurance as Solar Canopy has zero dependency on fuel.

Residential solar canopies will be available in 2014 in the same sizes and configurations. Purchases for private homes, in addition to those from smaller volume businesses, will be handled through NRG’s “Get a Quote” process on nrgsolar.com, or directly through Sunora or one of its channel partners. For additional product information, please visit www.nrgsolar.com/solutions/solarcanopy/.

About NRG and NRG Solar
NRG is leading a customer-driven change in the U.S. energy industry by delivering cleaner and smarter energy choices, while building on the strength of the nation’s largest and most diverse competitive power portfolio. A Fortune 500 company, we create value through reliable and efficient conventional generation while driving innovation in solar and renewable power, electric vehicle ecosystems, carbon capture technology and customer-centric energy solutions. Our retail electricity providers – Reliant, Green Mountain Energy and NRG Residential Solutions – serve more than 2 million residential and commercial customers throughout the country. More information is available at www.nrgenergy.com. Connect with NRG Energy on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @nrgenergy.

NRG, through its subsidiaries including NRG Solar LLC, has more than 2,000 MW of photovoltaic and solar thermal projects in operation, under construction or in development across the southwestern United States. More information is available at www.nrgsolar.com. Connect with NRG Solar on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @nrgsolar.

About Sunora Energy Solutions
Sunora Energy Solutions is a design-build energy product and solutions company that makes solar power cost-effective through proprietary innovation, scale, & operational excellence in engineering, construction, and fabrication. Sunora provides high quality, integrated solutions at the lowest total cost in the industry. Sunora services a range of customers from developers to consumers across the United States and North America that need affordable utility and distributed power generation. Sunora is a privately-held, solar Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona and subsidiary of NRG Solar LLC, one of the largest developers of solar power in the U.S. For more information about Sunora Energy Solutions, please visit the company’s website at www.SunoraEnergy.com.

NRG Safe Harbor Disclosure

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions and include NRG’s expectations regarding the Company’s solar projects and forward-looking statements typically can be identified by the use of words such as “will,” “expect,” “believe,” and similar terms. Although NRG believes that its expectations are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct, and actual results may vary materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated above include, among others, general economic conditions, hazards customary in the power industry, competition in wholesale power markets, the volatility of energy and fuel prices, failure of customers to perform under contracts, changes in the wholesale power markets, changes in government regulation of markets and of environmental emissions, and our ability to achieve the expected benefits and timing of our electric vehicle projects. NRG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The foregoing review of factors that could cause NRG’s actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements included in this news release should be considered in connection with information regarding risks and uncertainties that may affect NRG’s future results included in NRG’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

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Source: NRG Energy, Inc.

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