County Executive says it’s expected to ‘save green by going green.’
Frederick, Md (KM) Thursday, April 22nd, 2021 was Earth Day, and that’s when Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner announced a new solar project is coming. During her public information briefing, Gardner said it’s a solar canopy planned for the parking lot at the Bourne Building on Montevue Lane.
“The solar canopy is a series of solar panels that are elevated to provide shade,” she said. “They protect cars from snow in the winter and keep them cooler in the summer. And at the same time, the panels generate clean, renewable electricity.”
Gardner said the panels will produce 75-kilowatts of power, and that could reduce the county’s electric bill by 15% to 20%.
“We plan to install two sets of panels in the parking lot that sits between the Bourne Building and the Montevue Assisted Living facility, and it will be visible from Rosemont Avenue,” she said. “Each structure is expected to include 84 solar panels for a tole of 168 panels.”
The county already has a solar array on an unused section of the landfill on Reichs Ford Road.
“As part of the project, we also plan to install four more electric charging stations for electric vehicles,” Gardner continues. “There are already two EV charging stations on the property which we use to charge our hybrid vehicles in the county fleet. And when the installation is complete, the county will have six charging stations at Montevue Lane as well as an existing dual charging station at the court house and an EV station here at Winchester Hall.”
The County has received a $45,000 grant from the Maryland Energy Administration to help with the costs of the solar canopy and the EV charging stations.
Gardner says the design work on the canopy is expected to begin this month. The project will go out to bid later this year, and construction is set to begin in the spring of 2022, according to county officials.
The Bourne Building houses the Divisions of Public Works and Parks and Recreation.
By Kevin McManus