Ohio City Ranks Third in US for Annual Solar Watts Per Customer

The City of Bryan’s 2-MW solar array is ranked third in the nation for annual solar watts per customer, according to a study by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). The rankings are part of SEPA’s sixth annual utility solar report.

Modules are put into place for the City of Bryan’s 2.125-MW project. Rudolph/Libbe used thin-film panels to make better use of Northwest Ohio’s cloudy conditions.

The solar array was developed, designed and built by Rudolph/Libbe Inc., in Walbridge, Ohio.  The solar array is helping the City of Bryan to reduce its carbon emissions by more than 2,000 tons each year.

The city of Bryan’s $7.42 million solar array, which was commissioned in February 2012, was among the first known solar energy systems to supply power to an Ohio municipality.

Rudolph/Libbe developed a financing solution that gives the city of Bryan the option of renewing its lease or purchasing the system after the initial 10-year lease expires. Rudolph/Libbe also continues to maintain the system.

The solar array is producing more than 2.5 million kWh per year for the Bryan Municipal electrical infrastructure, representing 1 percent of the power required by the city and significantly reducing the peak load demand for the city.

The system uses a “distributed architecture” approach, in which all inverters are linked to track at maximum efficiency and extend the life of the equipment. The solar array also uses thin-film cadmium/telluride modules that produce more electricity and allow energy to be harvested for longer periods during daylight hours.

Bryan Municipal Utilities is a customer-owned, non-profit municipal utility providing approximately 6,000 customers with water, electric, and communications services in Bryan, Ohio. For more information about BMU, visit the web site www.cityofbryan.net.

The Rudolph/Libbe Companies is among the nation’s largest contractors and employs 1,000-1,500 construction trades through offices in Lima, Toledo, Cleveland and Walbridge, Ohio, and Plymouth, Mich.

See Solar Builder’s previous cover story on Rudoplh/Libbe and the City of Bryan solar array here: http://www.solarbuildermag.com/featured/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-solar-power/

— Solar Builder magazine

[source: http://www.solarbuildermag.com/news/ohio-city-ranks-third-in-us-for-annual-solar-watts-per-customer/]