Standard Solar Inc., a leader in the full-service development, construction, integration, financing and installation of solar electric systems, today announced it has completed the installation of an 809.4-kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system at Fairlee Lagoons in Kent County, Md. Funding for the Fairlee Lagoons solar array was arranged by Urban Grid Holdings LLC, a Stevensville, Md.-based organization that specializes in the development and financing of solar projects.
This is the fourth in a series of installations developed by Standard Solar, in Kent County, which serve to produce clean, renewable energy for municipal facilities. It is also the first system in the State of Maryland to take advantage of the newly expanded Aggregate Net Energy Metering regulations allowing the total number of meters aggregated to be increased from six meters to twenty meters.
“Kent County has made great strides with its commitment to solar energy, while also setting a precedent in the state for using aggregate net-metering,” said Scott Wiater, President of Standard Solar. “The leaders here have shown tremendous foresight in championing these community solar projects, as they move away from fossil fuels and toward creating a clean energy future for their constituents, all while realizing significant savings on energy costs.”
The system, built on the former site of the wastewater lagoons, will power 16 wastewater pumping stations located throughout Kent County. The approximately 1,100 MWh of electricity it is expected to produce annually is enough to power about 117 average-sized American homes, offsetting the greenhouse gas emissions of nearly 88,000 gallons of gasoline. The PV array provides Kent County with an electricity rate that is competitive with current market prices while also providing the county with rate visibility, predictability and cost savings for years to come.
“We continue to see the adoption of power purchase agreements for municipalities and government institutions as not only an environmentally responsible decision, but also as an effective budgetary plan to stabilize operational costs,” said Matt Hankey, Senior Vice President for Urban Grid. “We commend Kent County for taking the necessary steps to integrate this solar PV array with their existing sources of energy and further promote renewable energy projects in Maryland.”
In addition to the Fairlee Lagoons array, three other solar projects have been completed in Kent County over the last year — Rock Hall, Worton and Kennedyville — providing more than 4 MW of solar power.
— Solar Builder magazine
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