New Solar Panels Will Power County Government Complex In Millersville

MILLERSVILLE, MD - A new solar panel array was activated Tuesday at an Anne Arundel County government complex.

The nearly 3,000 solar modules will supply 90% of the electricity needed to power the Bureau of Utility Operations in Millersville.

County Executive Steuart Pittman celebrated the project with the Department of Public Works,  the Maryland Department of Environment and Standard Solar.

"Congratulations to DPW on the project and we hope there are many more, " Pittman said in a press release. "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 array includes 1,532 solar modules on rooftops and 1,400 on parking lot canopies.

The solar panels are mounted on five buildings, two storage sheds and four carports.

This will generate 1.3 megawatts of power annually. That's how much electricity it takes to power 227 homes for a year.

The county could become more energy efficient over time. If the solar panels generate more energy than the complex needs, BGE will refund the county for unused electricity for the year through the Net Aggregate Metering program.

The project will also create about 1,600 Solar Renewable Energy Credits each year. These can be sold on the renewable energy market.

The Department of Public Works used a $3 Million Alternate Source of Energy Project Grant from the Maryland Department of Environment's Energy Water Infrastructure Program. The grant covers 73% of the $4,110,394 project price tag. 

"This project holds great significance in advancing Maryland closer to its ambitious clean energy goals and its leadership within the nationwide clean energy transition," said Daryl Pilon, Director of Business Development at Standard Solar. "The strategic collaboration with Anne Arundel County exemplifies our dedication to forging partnerships that drive environmental stewardship and enable entities to effectively manage and curtail energy-related costs. We take great pride in having developed this successful carport/rooftop project within our home state of Maryland. Congratulations to both the Anne Arundel County Public Works team and all contributors involved on this meaningful initiative."

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