Baltimore County recently celebrated the completion of its first large-scale ground-mounted solar array, built on a closed landfill site.
By repurposing the 213-acre former landfill into a renewable energy generating asset, the county expects to lower its cost of electricity over the long term and reduce its carbon emissions. The project will account for around 11% of the county government’s annual power consumption.
According to projections, electricity production in the first year of operations will reach 8,220,710 kilowatt-hours (kWh), reducing emissions equivalent to: 621,480 gallons of gasoline, the annual power usage of 1,151 homes, or 14,064,876 miles driven by an average gas-powered passenger vehicle.
“This project shows how Baltimore County can turn yesterday’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities,” said County Executive Kathy Klausmeier, in a statement. “We are cutting costs for taxpayers and making investments that benefit our communities for decades.”
The seven-megawatt (MW) system consists of four large-scale arrays and 15,000 ballasted ground-mounted solar panels.
The county has entered into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Total Energies, the owner and operator of the system. The agreement ensures the county will be insulated from escalating electricity costs for the entire 25-year contract term, with renewal options up to 33 years.
Baltimore County’s Chief Sustainability Officer Greg Strella added, “Adding another large source of solar electricity to power our County’s facilities reflects our community’s values of making smart investments that take care of the health of our community and environment.”
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