Energy management firm Budderfly has partnered with Schneider Electric to assist American towns and cities with modernizing their energy infrastructure.

Part of Budderfly’s Modernizing American Cities program, the investment aims to help U.S. municipalities improve energy affordability levels, as well as the resilience of essential energy infrastructure. The investment will also remove the need for upfront capital spending, a common barrier to infrastructure modernization.

“Cities are being asked to modernize aging facilities while electricity costs rise and budgets remain tight,” says Al Subbloie, CEO of Budderfly. “The question is how to get that work underway. With this $500 million commitment, we aim to help cities and communities modernize their energy infrastructure without requiring them to take on upfront capital costs.”

Budderfly’s “energy as a service” model is specifically designed with small and medium sized cities in mind, with the firm itself financing, deploying, owning, operating, and maintaining energy systems. Municipalities will be able to pay over time through their energy savings, rather than depending on normal budget spending or grant money.

Teaming with Schneider

In order for Budderfly to deliver these infrastructural improvements, the firm has teamed with global electrification technology company Schneider Electric. The duo will work with local leaders to identify projects that strengthen essential energy services, and subsequently implement those projects.

“When a city upgrades a facility, saving energy is only part of the job. A wastewater plant or city hall also has to serve residents when conditions get tough,” says Michele Hix, VP of strategic customers and North American operations for Schneider Electric. “Budderfly’s model helps cities move forward without drawing on limited capital budgets.”

Budderfly officials say prioritized projects could include solar, battery storage, EV charging infrastructure, HVAC and lighting, and energy management system technology. All of these projects aim to make energy more affordable, predictable, resilient, and sustainable.

The program builds on Budderfly and Schneider’s existing work with the City of Cadillac, Michigan. Budderfly has already invested approximately $4.4 million to install solar, battery storage, and other projects across seven city facilities, including both city hall and the wastewater treatment plant.

“Our project with Budderfly and Schneider is about taking a smarter, more resilient approach to serving our community,” says Marcus Peccia, city manager of the City of Cadillac. “We’re able to modernize critical infrastructure, strengthen the reliability of services residents rely on every day and bring greater predictability to our energy costs, all without requiring upfront taxpayer investment.”

Budderfly now plans to extend its decade-long track record of serving more than 9,000 commercial customers to include U.S. municipalities. By participating in Schneider’s Accelerating Resilient Infrastructure Initiative, the company will be one of nearly 50 partners promoting energy resilience across the U.S.

Tags: Budderfly, commercial, commercial and industrial, EV charging, funding, project, Schneider Electric, storage