It will provide up to 20% of Frederick County’s electricity.
Frederick, Md (KM) A new solar array at the Reichs Ford Road Landfill was formally commissioned on Wednesday. The array consists of 7,776 solar panels on 14-acres, and will produce over 3 1/2 kilowatts of electricity each year, or close to 20% of the Frederick County’s power needs. .
“Frederick County is powered by the sun and leading the way on renewable energy,” says County Executive Jan Gardner, in a statement. “Our electric buses are being charged with solar energy, so they are running 100% renewable energy! This project ensures that Frederick County is posed for a bright future for generations to come.”
In addition to TransIT’s electric buses, officials say the power generated by the solar array will provide electricity to Winchester Hall, the Frederick Senior Center, the Landfill scale house and the C. Burr Artz, Urbana Regional and Emmitsburg Public Libraries. . The building housing the Emmitsburg LIbrary is also home to the Emmitsburg Senior Center and the Emmitsburg Town Offices.
Under a net metering agreement, the electricity generated by the solar array will be transferred to Potomac Edison’s power grid. Then the county offsets its power costs at certain designated facilities.
The County will also have access to the power from the solar array at a fixed rate for 20 years, under the terms of an agreement with TESLA, which will operate and maintain the solar array.
Looking to the future, the county is also considering the construction of a second solar array at the Ballenger McKinney Waste Water Treatment Plant by the end of this year.
By Kevin McManus