Standard Solar has completed a 1.4-MW ground-mount solar project for Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS), the fifth largest public school district in the State of Maryland with a student population of approximately 82,000 students. The AACPS portfolio consists of 125 schools and nine administrative buildings. Standard Solar developed and constructed the project, and financed the array located on six acres of school system-owned land at the Fort Smallwood Facilities complex in Pasadena, Maryland.
AACPS adopted a sustainability policy in 2013 that officially defined its green initiatives. Already, 68 of the county’s 125 school facilities are Maryland Green School awardees. The 1.399-MW ground-mount array, financed by Standard Solar through a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA), features nearly 4,000 panels that will produce 1,971 megawatt hours of electricity annually.
AACPS has an aggressive 20% reduction goal in energy use intensity over ten years with a 2011 baseline as part of their commitment to the Better Buildings Challenge and dedication to the energy efficiency of District buildings.
“We have more than 13.4 million square feet of facility space and a $26 million utility budget. It is essential that we reduce our energy consumption, explore renewable energy, and be efficient with our energy use,” AACPS Superintendent of Schools Dr. George Arlotto said.
“This was a particularly special project for Standard Solar. First, for our team’s ability to overcome complex site configuration challenges and second, because it marks one of the first solar projects financed internally by Standard Solar,” explained Scott Wiater, president and CEO, Standard Solar. “This partnership with AACPS is a clear example of how school systems, counties, municipalities and more can benefit from solar and its resulting cost savings through taking advantage of smart financing.”
A 2016 report, Brighter Maryland: A Study on Solar in Maryland Schools, conducted by The Solar Foundation (TSF), an independent nonprofit solar research and education organization, found 1,867 public and private K-12 schools in the state could cost-effectively deploy solar energy systems. Combined, these systems could generate electricity valued at over $18 million per year, equivalent to 421 teacher salaries, and produce 165,000 megawatt-hours of electricity – enough to offset the carbon emissions of 24,000 passenger vehicles. Anne Arundel County was identified as being among the top five counties with the most significant potential, including the creation of an estimated 100 jobs and a savings of over $1 million over the course of 30 years.
Standard Solar will own, operate and maintain the system. Construction on the project is complete and a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place this morning.
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