SolarCity is providing solar electricity on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with three projects that may significantly cut energy costs for taxpayers. The projects, with Queen Anne’s County and the Town of Centreville, include over 14,000 solar panels and more than 3.37 megawatts of generation capacity. Together, the three installations can help the town and county lock in lower energy costs for decades to come. The solar projects are expected to produce enough power to supply about 1,250 typical Maryland homes, and may save as much as $5.5 million on energy costs over 20 years.
"Together, with companies like SolarCity, we're building a stronger, more innovative new energy economy in Maryland," said Governor Martin O'Malley. "With the addition of three more megawatts of solar energy from the Eastern Shore, we're closer to a more resilient grid and even closer to reaching our goal of achieving 20 percent of in-state renewable generation by 2022."
All three projects are solar Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) which means the county and town are paying for the power created by the panels. With this agreement, the projects are owned, operated and maintained by SolarCity, with Maryland operations in Beltsville, and help lock in solar energy costs for the town and county.
“These projects shine a light on the potential for solar on the Eastern Shore. By making the move to solar, residents, businesses and governments can reduce their energy bills and reduce harmful pollution—and that’s good for everyone here on the Chesapeake. Centreville and Queen Anne’s County are leading the way for their residents here,” said Leon Keshishian, SolarCity’s East Coast Regional Vice President.
The overall project includes three distinct installations:
Queen Anne’s County: This ground-mounted 2.37 megawatt project on 20 acres of county-owned land is the largest non-utility solar array in Maryland. The installation is expected to save the county approximately $230,000 each year – adding up to $4.6 million in savings over the lifetime of the contract. The array consists of 9,856 solar panels on Safety Drive, just outside of Centreville, and has the capacity to fully power five county facilities: the Department of Emergency Services, Department of Public Works, Department of Correction, the Liberty Building and Health Department. The Kent Island Wastewater Plant will also utilize any remaining energy produced by the solar array.
Centreville, MD: The Town of Centreville partnered with SolarCity to build two separate solar arrays at the town's Waste Water Spray Irrigation Facility on Hope Road. Centreville's 900 and 100 kilowatt array systems are on five acres of the farm and consist of 4,172 solar panels in total. The systems are projected to save the residents of Centreville in excess of one million dollars in electricity costs over 20 years. The arrays will help defray the cost to operate the waste-water spray irrigation system, waste water and water treatment plants as well as other facilities owned by the Town.