SunEdison (NYSE:SUNE) has announced two of its newest solar projects in the US state of Maryland are now operational.
The first is a 2.5 megawatt solar energy system that will generate power for the Cecil County School of Technology, in North East.
Installed under a 20 year power purchase agreement, the facility will supply more electricity than the school requires. Through aggregated net metering, other buildings owned by the Cecil County Board of Education will share the output and maximize electricity savings.
Maryland’s Aggregated Net Metering Program is an arrangement whereby a single solar power system to can be used to offset electricity use on multiple meters, without necessarily requiring a physical connection between the system and those meters.
“SunEdison’s expertise has helped us achieve our goals and we look forward to enjoying energy savings for many years to come,” said Perry Willis, Executive Director of Support Services, Cecil County Public Schools. “The extra savings means more resources for our teachers and students, which we’re thrilled about.”
The second system is a 2.1 megawatt installation that will supply electricity to Pocomoke City’s wastewater treatment plant.
Also installed under 20 year power purchase agreement and aggregate net metering arrangement, this array too will produce more energy than the treatment plant requires and will save city and other organisations a combined $52,000 per year.
“Aggregated net metering is an innovative way for nonprofits, farms, and municipalities to maximize electricity savings and meet their carbon reduction goals with minimal capital up-front,” said Michael Volpe, Sales Director at SunEdison.
Both systems were constructed by Standard Solar and have been acquired by SunEdison’s yieldco, TerraForm Power, Inc. (Nasdaq: TERP).
The State of Maryland aims to source 20 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2020 through its Renewable Portfolio Standard. 2% of the state’s energy is required to come from solar panels, or about 1,200 MW, by that year.
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), there are currently more than 168 solar companies in Maryland employing 3,000 people. Maryland installed an estimated 73 MW of solar electric capacity last year, ranking it 12th in the USA.
