SunPower Corp., a solar technology and energy services provider, says it is collaborating with Baltimore County, Md., to cover two closed landfills with solar systems.
The projects are expected to generate upwards of 30 MW, equivalent to the power used by one-third of the county’s municipal buildings – including government facilities.
“Electricity savings from solar can help municipalities invest more money into our schools, parks and community centers,” says Eric Potts, executive vice president of Commercial Americas at SunPower. “We applaud Baltimore County for transforming otherwise underutilized land into productive solar parks, enabling them to achieve their ambitious sustainability goals while significantly improving the county’s budget.”
The projects, located at the closed Hernwood and Parkton landfills, are the first large-scale solar energy projects in Baltimore County’s history and mark another new milestone for the county to address climate change. Under power purchase agreements (PPAs), the county pays no upfront costs while SunPower and its financiers cover the cost of the arrays. Over the next 25 years, the county will pay a flat, fixed rate per kWh for the solar generation – expected to save millions of dollars in electricity costs. Through Maryland’s “aggregate net metering” rule, Baltimore Gas & Electric will credit the solar-generated at the landfills against electric loads at other county buildings.
The projects are now entering the design and permitting phase, with construction expected to begin in 2022 and to be fully operational by 2023.
For more information on SunPower’s commitment to advance clean energy, click here.
Photo: Eric Potts
