Maryland Park System Reaches Sustainability Goals and Enhances their Financial Bottom Line with Solar
Standard Solar owns, operates and maintains two 2.5 megawatt (MW) combined ground-mount arrays at South Germantown Recreational Park and Rock Creek Regional Park. The combined arrays produce about 3,500,000 kWh of solar electricity annually, thereby offsetting 2,877 tons of greenhouse gases yearly. This offset is the equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 3,074 acres of U.S. forest or the amount of CO2 generated in the production of the grid-supplied electricity used by 391 average American homes in a typical year.
“These projects represent another great example of counties and municipalities reaching sustainability goals and enhancing their financial bottom line by taking advantage of installing solar on unused land,” said Scott Wiater, President & CEO, Standard Solar. “We applaud Montgomery County and M-NCPPC for their unwavering commitment to sustainability and these projects.”
Aggregate Net Metering Offers Significant Advantages to Municipal, Non-Profit and Agricultural Customers
The system takes advantage of Maryland’s aggregate net metering program — whereby municipal, non-profit, agricultural customers can offset energy use at any of their meters with solar located remotely on a single meter — and provides power for multiple park facilities.
The solar arrays, located at South Germantown Recreational Park and Rock Creek Regional Park, consist of more than 7,000 ground mounted solar panels. The solar energy produced will support the energy needs of more than 35 Montgomery Parks sites, lowering utility bills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while also contributing to smart, clean and resilient energy regionwide.
