Exelon - Conergy Solar Energy Center - Fairless Hills, PA

Situated adjacent to Waste Management’s G.R.O.W.S. Landfill in Buck’s County, Pennsylvania, a 3-megawatt (MW) solar energy system is set to make history as the nation’s largest east of Arizona. The Exelon project is an example of how state government, public utilities and private investors are supporting the large scale development of clean energy in the United States, in a manner that has been very successful in Europe. Multi-million-dollar renewable energy projects, like the Exelon plant, reinforce Pennsylvania’s leadership in one of the nations fastest growing industries and highlight the potential for jobs and economic development," says Governor Edward G. Rendell.

The $20 million project features more than 17,000 solar panels on a 16.5-acre tract of land adjacent to Waste Management’s GROWS Landfill. Upon completion, the solar plant will annually produce approximately 3,700 megawatt hours of power, which is enough to meet the energy requirements of nearly 500 homes. This output of clean energy will reduce emission levels of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide that directly contribute to pollution and acid rain will be reduced by the equivalent to taking more than 440 cars off the road each year.

Pennsylvania’s renewable energy legislation, The Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act, requires that 18 percent of all energy generated in Pennsylvania come from alternative and renewable sources by 2021, including 0.5 percent from solar. Approximately 850 megawatts of additional solar capacity are expected to be installed in the state by 2021. Recognizing the importance of minimizing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with electricity production, Exelon made an important financial commitment to the project through a 20-year power purchase agreement for the energy produced. The Conergy Projects Group, a leading provider of turnkey renewable energy solutions provided planning, engineering and installation services for the Exelon-Conergy Solar Center.

South San Joaquin Irrigation District - Manteca, CA

Clean power to produce clean water. The West Coast’s second largest solar array farm - capable of generating nearly 2 megawatts of electrical load – is quietly cutting into the $500,000 annual PG&E bill for the nearby South County Surface Water Treatment Plant. "I believe we’re the only (electricity generating concern) in California with a zero carbon footprint in our energy portfolio," noted SSJID General Manager Jeff Shields. But environmental sensitivity took a back-seat to ensuring long-term financial strength for the facility and lowering costs for families, businesses, farmers, and government agencies that are part of the communities they serve. Stabilizing energy costs will benefit nearly 170,000 residents that rely on the plant for drinking water.

Conergy was selected as the solar energy partner to engineer, procure and construct a 1.9 MW single-axis solar tracking system to provide electricity to the state-of-the-art DeGroot Water treatment Plant. By following the sun from east to west over the course of the day, the single axis tracker will boost the energy output of the system by 15%. The $12.5 million installation consists of 11,040 solar modules that will produce 3.7 million kilowatt hours of electricity output annually, enough to power 550 homes, and offsetting 4,106,216 lbs of carbon dioxide per year.

With their Tri-Dam partners - Oakdale Irrigation District - the SSJID generates 131 megawatts of green power. That’s enough to power 393,000 California households for one year by using renewable means - solar and hydro - without creating an ounce of air pollution. SSJID, however, didn’t stop there. The gravel roads that serve the solar farm are crushed irrigation pipe that was removed during a major modernization project. As far as Shields and the SSJID board members are concerned, their efforts to improve the economic prosperity of the people they represent in an environmentally responsible manner is continuing the tradition started 100 years ago when the irrigation district was first formed to bring prosperity to the sandy plains.

Powering a modern military.

Located just south of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Fort Carson is an active U.S. Army installation that supports 10 different military units with more than 19,000 active-duty personnel. As one of the largest Army military facilities in the western United States, it is home to two combat brigades, the 10th Special Forces Group and headquarters for Division West 1st U.S. Army which is responsible for training all Reserve Component units west of the Mississippi River. The Army has a strong commitment to clean, renewable energy; and, Fort Carson has one of the most forward-thinking energy strategies and track records in the Department of Defense. One objective of the installations’ Garrison Commander Strategic Action Plan is to sustain all facility and mobility systems from renewable sources by 2027.

Today, Fort Carson is the site of the largest solar array at a US Army facility and one of the largest installations in Colorado. This 2 MW application is a fixed tilt, ground-mounted photovoltaic array with nearly 27,600 flat-plate, thin-film modules that are expected to produce energy efficiently for up to 40 years. Covering almost 12 acres on top of a former landfill, it produces 3,200 MWh annually, enough to power nearly 500 homes.

Conergy’s Projects Group designed and constructed the system which was completed in late 2007. Conergy’s proven engineering expertise was a critical factor in building the array. Due to Fort Carson’s rapid growth, land is at a premium; building on the inactive landfill required considerable design ingenuity to meet environmental regulations. As the world’s largest installer of solar systems, Conergy’s ability to provide a customized solution and assure a maximum return on investment made a significant difference in the outcome of this high-profile project.

The Fort Carson solar array represents one of the first major customer-sited projects to emerge from Colorado’s voter-led initiative to make the state a leading user of renewable energy. The project supports Colorado’s Amendment 37 initiative to get 20 percent of the state’s power from renewable energy by 2020. The RECs will offset nearly 28 percent of the installation’s fossil energy use. Collaboration was the key to the project’s viability and makes it a model for large-scale renewable energy systems. Partners include:

• Xcel Energy will purchase the renewable energy credits (RECs) for 20 years under its incentive program.
• Colorado Springs Utilities will host the system on its grid.
• Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), part of the U.S. Department of Energy, will procure power from the system for transmission to 15 western and central states.
• 3 Phases Energy, a California-based company was the Fort Carson project developer.
• Morgan Stanley’s Global Structured Products Group became the project investor and long-term owner.

"Using Colorado’s abundant sunshine and available federal land to continue charting a new course for our energy future made sense," said Vince Guthrie, Fort Carson Utilities Manager. He added, "Reducing Fort Carson’s reliance on fossil fuels helps us build a sustainable energy future that is good for our bottom line, the environment, and national security." This solar project is one piece of a broader strategy to increase the energy independence of the military and the nation.

University of Calgary - The University of Calgary’s new Child Development Center was built to the Platinum standard of Leadership in Environmental Engineering and Design (LEED®). The Canadian Green Building Council LEED® certification distinguishes building projects that have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability based on various factors including high standards in energy efficiency and on-site power generation from renewable sources. In this case the on-site power generation is handled by a 43.4 kW photovoltaic (PV) system supplied by Conergy. This building integrated system is currently the largest solar PV installation in Western Canada.

On this building the solar panels serve a dual purpose; they are used as an energy generator as well as sun shades. By integrating the solar panels into the building’s structure the University of Calgary was able to save on material costs, improve building aesthetics and benefit from passive solar cooling.

Anderson and Evergreen School Districts, Cottonwood, CA - Anderson School District began researching solar to reduce the energy costs for West Valley High School. They had found photovoltaics to be a proven technology that offered minimal maintenance for the life of the system. The ground-mounted 245 kW system is grid connected, supplying power to the local community when not used to power the school. As the system progresses in its production, the District is seeing an increasing savings to their energy costs. They have already been able to see a dramatic savings since the system inauguration in December of 2006. They are also proposing to increase their system size in future years, to accommodate the growth of the school.

Evergreen School District has successfully started producing solar power with two of their schools completing renewable energy projects totaling 159 kW peak output. Evergreen Elementary School’s 128 kW peak system is projected to cover 90% of their electric needs. Evergreen Middle School’s 31 kilowatt peak installation is expected to meet 30% of their energy needs, with another 78 kilowatts scheduled to be added to the system. In conjunction with the analysis of the PV system, Conergy also evaluated the buildings’ energy efficiency and retrofitted both schools with new energy efficient lamps on all interior lights.

Colusa Rice Company — The Colusa Rice facility dries and stores harvested rice in sunny Central California. In 2007, it looked to solar power as a way to both help the environment and better manage energy costs. Their vision and wisdom led to the construction of a 314 kW solar electric system that is anticipated to generate more than 402,000 kWh per year—enough to power 60 average homes. Conergy engineers made sure that all system components were optimized for Colusa to gain maximum yields; and, our installers had the 1,848 modules in place within 6 weeks. Since the solar array installation provides more electricity than the company needs, it exports excess electricity to Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). The system, which will eliminate 143 tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year, qualified for a solar rebate of nearly $800,000 from PG&E’s self-generation incentive program.

Warmerdam Packing Center — Located in California’s sun drenched San Joaquin Valley, the Warmerdam fruit packing facility hosts one of the largest solar energy systems in the agriculture industry. The installation includes 6,600 modules and was commissioned in early 2008. This roof-mounted solar array is anticipated to produce 1.2 MWh per year. The Warmerdam plant is known for innovative handling, cooling and packaging of produce such as cherries and kiwis. To support this operation, the solar initiative will offset 60 percent of the electrical power needs of their packinghouse and cold storage facilities. Over the 25 year life of the system, it will reduce CO2 emissions equivalent to 124 million miles not driven.

Reaping the rewards of renewable energy.

A natural fit. Among agricultural entities, wineries, with on-site production, bottling, and extensive hospitality areas, can be the most energy intensive, making them an excellent fit for solar energy systems. In addition to plenty of sunshine, many wineries have abundant ground and roof space ideally situated for harvesting sunlight. The seasonal nature of winery activity and energy consumption during harvest and crush season works in harmony with and enhances the economic benefit from solar energy production throughout the year. More than many other agricultural entities, wineries have the opportunity to benefit from the marketing value of their renewable energy system by attracting new customers and increasing the perceived value of their brand.

EOS Estate Winery - Nestled in the vineyard covered hills of Paso Robles, EOS is the first winery on California’s Central Coast to meet all of it’s energy needs with solar power. The 540 kW installation comprises more than 3,000 PV modules mounted on over two acres of solar tracking arrays and 100 solar thermal collectors on the roof providing all the electrical power and water heating needs of the winery and tasting room.

Over the next 25 years, EOS’s environmental stewardship will reduce CO2 emissions by over 21,000 tons. This is equivalent to planting 360 trees or not driving 68 million miles. “At EOS, we believe strongly in producing our wines in a way that is friendly to the land and the environment as a whole,” said Jeff Hopmayer, owner of EOS Estate Winery. “Because of the abundant sunshine, California is the perfect place to harvest solar power and utilize it to create our award-winning wines. By using alternative energy, we are doing our part to protect our environment while continuing to produce the highest quality wine.”

“We knew we wanted solar, and we knew it could be done on our site, but we just didn’t know how it could be done in the most efficient way,” he added. Conergy’s state-of-the-art active solar tracking system enables EOS to efficiently produce the most power possible throughout the day. The tracking system maximizes the winery’s daily solar energy harvest by following the sun from east to west, delivering significantly more energy than fixed-tilt technology. A smaller ground-mounted fixed-tilt solar system powers the tasting room and a large roof-mounted solar thermal system provides the winery’s water heating needs.

Conergy’s expert finance partners are well versed in the myriad benefits and underlying asset value of on-site renewable energy generation. We worked closely with EOS management to deliver a financial and contractual package with the best overall value. To support EOS’s financial objectives, Conergy’s Projects Group structured financing with immediate and lasting energy cost savings and positive cash flow for the winery from day one. By financing their systems, EOS avoids upfront capital expenditures and still benefits economically from state and federal incentives, valuable Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), and Net-Energy-Metering. In addition, as electricity prices continue to rise, the savings continue to escalate for the winery since EOS has secured its price of electricity at a much lower rate.

EOS Estate Winery will benefit from a total savings of about $8.5 million on their electricity over a 25-year period. Hopmayer noted, “If you look at our monthly energy bill usage, the system is costing us less to fund per month than it would cost to pay our energy without the system.” For companies paying higher energy rates, like EOS, the credits and rebates currently available in California make investing in solar energy a no-brainer. For added peace of mind, Conergy’s operations and maintenance specialists will remotely monitor the systems and provide preventative maintenance services ensuring years of worry-free operation and economic return on EOS’s solar energy investment. EOS and Conergy have partnered to create a reliable, cost saving and environmentally sound energy strategy for the future.

J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines - J. Lohr owns 3,000 acres of California Vineyards including 2000 acres in the Paso Robles region where they have now added a state-of-the-art 756 kW single axis tracking solar PV system. 4,320 modules were installed on ground-mounted arrays which track the sun from east to west on a daily basis, significantly increasing energy output. A respected leader in the wine industry, the Lohr family wanted their wineries to become more sustainable as well as to set an example for the energy intensive wine industry and the public. “Solar energy is a perfect fit for the California wine industry. We’re innovators and entrepreneurs and we’re committed to the land. The success of our wines depends on our environmental stewardship,” says Steve Lohr, Senior VP of Planning and Development for J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.

The system is the largest solar energy installation of its kind in the North American wine industry.  It will offset most of the winery’s annual energy use with expected first year utility savings of $216,000 and will reduce CO2 emissions equivalent to planting 512 acres of trees or not driving 96 million miles. Owning their own solar electric system makes them more energy independent with more predictable energy costs for decades to come. “There is enough variability in our industry—from rainfall and seasonal weather through the wine-making process to consumer preferences. Our investment in our own energy production reduces our risk in forecasting energy costs. It adds just a little measure of control.”

J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines: Project Details