Pennsylvania to Host Largest East Coast Solar Power Plant
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, September 4, 2007
Source: Environmental News Service
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2007/2007-09-04-093.asp
A new solar energy power station is being built in southeastern Pennsylvania that will be the fourth-largest facility of its kind in the country and the largest east of Arizona when operations begin next April. Plans call for more than 16,500 solar panels to be installed on 16.5 acres, adjacent to Waste Management’s GROWS Landfill, in Falls Township, about 30 miles north of Philadelphia.
Upon completion, the plant will produce approximately 3,700 megawatt hours of power, enough to meet the annual energy requirements of 300-350 homes. At this output, emission levels of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide that directly contribute to pollution and acid rain will be reduced by the equivalent benefit of planting 33 acres of trees every year.
Speaking Thursday at the project site, Governor Ed Rendell announced that Exelon Generation Company has signed a 20 year power purchase agreement for the energy produced at the solar plant with EPURON, a subsidiary of the world’s largest solar integration company Conergy AG.
EPURON GmbH, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, is a project development and structured finance company in the renewable energy sector. With new offices in Philadelphia, EPURON growing the U.S. solar energy market along with its sister company SunTechnics, Conergy’s engineering and installation arm.
“EPURON is excited about this landmark photovoltaic project,” said EPURON General Manager Arndt Lutz. “This project will launch utility-scale solar power plants in Pennsylvania and the entire Eastern U.S. The array will be one of the largest in the country and is the result of a successful partnership between Exelon Generation, Waste Management and the EPURON / SunTechnics team, and a major step toward energy independence and greenhouse gas reduction.”
“This agreement adds another element to Exelon’s renewable energy portfolio,” said John Rowe, Exelon Corporation’s chairman, president and CEO. “As the nation turns its attention toward cleaner energy sources, it’s essential that Exelon play a part. We believe there is a growing demand for renewables, and we want to help meet that demand.”
“In the next few years,” said Governor Rendell, “consumers and businesses across the state are expected to encounter dramatic energy cost increases. This major announcement shows that affordable, secure and alternative sources of power are available now and will result in a cleaner environment, competitive energy prices and the reduction of our dependence on foreign fuel.”
In July, Governor Rendell and the General Assembly took steps to strengthen the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act, clarifying the amount of clean, solar energy that must be produced and sold in Pennsylvania. This requirement means that by 2021, another 850 megawatts of solar power will be generated in Pennsylvania.
But the General Assembly did not agree to the governor’s Energy Independence Strategy, and resulting stalemate partially shut down the state government and furloughed 24,000 state employees for 24 hours. To get people back to work, the governor agreed to address his Strategy later.
Governor Rendell has called for a special session of the legislature beginning on September 17 to work toward adoption of the Energy Independence Strategy proposal.
A key element of Rendell’s energy package has been a proposed $850 million Energy Independence Fund, to be financed with a surcharge of one-twentieth of a cent per kilowatt-hour on electric bills. Rendell said the fee would add $5.40 a year to the average residential bill and would be capped at $10,000 for the largest energy users.
House and Senate Republicans fought the proposal, contending that it violated pledges against imposing new taxes.
The governor will use this new solar installation to make his case Pennsylvania’s aggressive energy policies attracted Conergy to the state, spurring the company to invest $100 million in projects that are improving the economy and creating new jobs.
“Conergy officials cite the opportunities created under Governor Rendell’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards as among the reasons for selecting Pennsylvania to be its North American base,” he said. The governor says that since his Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act was enacted in 2004, “Pennsylvania has become a leading international destination for projects that are helping to meet our energy demands in ways that also protect the environment.” The energy portfolio ensures that 18 percent of all energy generated in the state comes from clean, efficient sources by 2021.