HoCo Breaks Ground On Transformational Solar Project Under PPA

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — County and state officials recently celebrated an historic groundbreaking for the first of 11 transformational solar projects as part of Howard County’s power purchase agreement. The agreement will generate a monumental 44,000,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) a year, which will cover more than 50 percent of the county’s energy usage and is the equivalent of taking 6,781 cars off the road.

“The Howard County Power Purchase Agreement is the largest of its kind in the state,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said. “Through the PPA, CI Renewables will, at no cost to the county, construct, operate and maintain the solar panels and associated solar energy generation equipment at its sole expense. These solar arrays will be throughout our community on both public and private land. From rooftops to carports to ground mounts, we’re maximizing our ability to capture solar energy at our libraries, firehouses, police stations, our new circuit courthouse and more.”

These solar energy systems will be on county-owned and non-county-owned property. The county then pays a per kilowatt-hour rate for the electricity generated by the solar energy systems, just as it would to any other energy supplier.

“Howard County government is providing a great example of how to implement solar power systems across multiple facilities while working with the solar community to identify the best locations,” Dr. Mary Beth Tung, director of the Maryland Energy Administration, said. “We are delighted to provide funding support to help the county leverage a number of sites, including those that have dual uses such as buildings and parking lots as part of its energy portfolio.”

There will be solar projects on 11 separate sites:

• Triple Creek Farm
• Clear View Farm
• Rural Rhythm Farm
• Circuit Courthouse rooftop and ground mount
• East Columbia Library rooftop and carport
• Gateway Building rooftop and carport
• Carrs Mill Landfill
• 50+ Center in East Columbia
• Waterloo Firehouse
• Scaggsville Police Station
• Detention Center