Solar Energy Investments In Pennsylvania Helping Business
Pennsylvania is strengthening its position as a leader in solar energy with new investments of more than $5 million in 13 new projects, Governor Edward G. Rendell said today.
“We have made remarkable progress in making Pennsylvania a leader in renewable energy in a very short period of time,” said Governor Rendell. “We’ve invested nearly $1 billion in projects that put more than 8,300 people to work. And now, with the federal Recovery funds President Obama and Congress wisely dedicated to the renewable sector, we’re able to achieve even more growth.”
The projects announced today, which will generate enough electricity to power approximately 500 homes, are benefitting from the $650 million Alternative Energy Investment Fund that Governor Rendell signed in 2008. They were approved for funding by the Commonwealth Financing Authority.
These critical investments, the Governor noted, make sense for Pennsylvania’s future for a number of economic and environmental reasons.
“We are making tremendous strides in bringing more solar capacity on line,” said Governor Rendell. “By December 2010, Pennsylvania will rank in the top five states for solar in terms of megawatts operating. With the programs that we have in place today and the funds made available to us through the federal stimulus, this will bring our total solar capacity to nearly 60 megawatts or enough to power 7,200 homes.
“Some of the projects I’m announcing today will reduce the annual energy consumption of their owners by as much as half,” Governor Rendell said. “Pennsylvania’s commitment to creating a vibrant solar industry will reduce the consumption of costly, traditional fuels, with clean, efficient sunlight that doesn’t cost a penny. That provides savings to businesses and municipalities, and ensures that the commonwealth remains a leader in the development and deployment of green technologies.”
For more information on programs available through the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit www.newpa.com or call 1-866-466-3972.
The following is a list, by county, of the 13 projects receiving alternative energy investment grants. To put each project’s generation capacity into context, an average home in Pennsylvania uses approximately 10 megawatt hours, or 10,000 kilowatt hours, of electricity annually.
Allegheny County
Terradime – 5637 Forbes LLC will receive a $44,000 solar energy program grant to install a 25 kW rooftop solar photovoltaic power system that will be installed on a condominium building located in Pittsburgh. The system will produce nearly 28,500 kWh, each year. Terradime, a Pittsburgh-based real estate and research enterprise focused on sustainable development and energy efficient innovations, plans to erect a four-story, 14-unit green condominium building that will include 21 subsurface vehicular parking spaces with electric car hook-ups. The total project cost is $181,500.
Bucks County
VS Solar LP will receive a $1 million solar energy program grant for the installation of a rooftop solar photovoltaic system for the Valley Square Lifestyle Shopping Center located in Warrington Township. Of the 11 buildings that comprise the Lifestyle Center property, nine will be fitted with the photovoltaic rooftop panel systems. The total system size will be 800 kW and will cover 90 percent of the annual shopping center common area’s electric requirement, which is presently 1,131,000 kWh. The total project cost is $4.1 million.
Centre County
SEC BESD Solar One LLC will receive a $995,440 solar energy program grant to purchase and install a 541 kW rooftop solar photovoltaic system for the Bald Eagle Middle/High School in Boggs Township. SEC BESD Solar One LLC is the special purpose LLC formed by Smart Energy Capital for the Bald Eagle School District solar projects; it will own the photovoltaic system and sell power to the Bald Eagle schools under a long-term power purchase agreement at a fixed rate of 4.9 cents per kWh for 25 years. The solar PV system will produce about 670,000 kWh of solar electricity annually, which will provide more than 50 percent of the Bald Eagle Middle/High School electricity demand. The total project cost is $2.7 million.
SEC BESD Solar One LLC will receive a $445,280 solar energy program grant for the purchase and installation of a 242 kW solar photovoltaic system for the Bald Eagle/Wingate Elementary School located in Boggs Township. SEC BESD Solar One LLC will own the photovoltaic system and sell power to the Bald Eagle schools under a long-term power purchase agreement at a fixed rate of 4.9 cents per kWh for 25 years. The solar PV system will produce about 299,000 kWh of solar electricity annually, which will provide more than 50 percent of the Wingate Elementary School electricity demand. The total project cost is $1.2 million.
Topics: 2010, Allegheny County, Alternative Energy Investment Fund, Bald Eagle Middle, Boggs Township, Bucks County, Centre County, clean energy, Commonwealth Financing Authority, Congress, consumers, consumption, Department of Community and Economic Development, ecnomic development, economic growth, economic recovery, Economy, electric car, electricity, employment, energy, fossil fuels, Governance, government, Governor Edward G. Rendell, green, green technologies, homes, investment, jobs, megawatts, monitor, news, oil, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, President Obama, renewabel energy, solar energy, solar energy program grant, solar panels, solar photovoltaic power system, sunlight, sustainable development, U.S., United States, Valley Square Lifestyle Shopping Center, Warrington Township, wind energy
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