Anne Arundel “Flips the Switch” On New Solar Project

Anne Arundel County along with state and private industry officials recently launched a new solar project in the county. 

Last week Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works (DPW) and officials from the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) and Standard Solar officially celebrated the completion of a solar project providing clean energy to the Bureau of Utility Operations (BUO) Complex in Millersville.

Anne Arundel COunty Executive Steuart Pittman “flips the switch” on a new solar development in his county.

The “Flip the Switch” celebration highlighted the capital project that consists of a combination of four carports and seven rooftop solar arrays, producing 1.3 megawatts (MW) of power.

DPW engineers utilized a $3 Million Alternate Source of Energy Project Grant from the Maryland Department of Environment’s Energy Water Infrastructure Program (EWIP). The EWIP grant represents 73% of the $4,110,394 total project investment. The project will offset more than 90% of the current electricity demand at the Complex.

“Congratulations to DPW on the project, and we hope there are many more, ” said Mr. Pittman. “You don’t think about DPW as environmental movers and shakers in the County, but they are. We want all the electricity that County facilities use to be renewable, either produced here or purchased as renewable by the year 2030.”

The system is expected to satisfy more than 90% of the total annual electricity needs of the BUO Complex. In the first year of production, the combined systems are predicted to generate 1,645 megawatt-hours (MWh) of clean electricity.

Project Information

  • A total of 2,932 solar modules were installed. (1,532 roof top mounted and 1,400 parking lot canopy).

  • Rooftop arrays exist on 5 buildings and 2 storage sheds.

  • Parking lot canopies exist in both the employee and County equipment vehicle parking areas.

  • The estimated annual energy production from solar is 1,645,580 kilowatt hours of electricity (AC).

  • The electricity generated from the solar panels will be applied to the electricity accounts for the Complex through BGE’s Net Aggregate Metering program. As the County becomes more energy efficient at the Complex, solar electricity could exceed demand. In April of each year, BGE is required to refund the County for any unused solar electricity over the previous 12 months.

  • Approximately 1,600 Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRecs) will be generated each year which have value in the renewable energy market.

Read the full press release.