FALLS TOWNSHIP, Pa., March 19
Today, Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell broke ground in Bucks County for the Nations’ 4th Largest Solar Power Facility.
“When this facility is up and running — likely by September or October of this year — it will be among the largest in the country, and certainly the largest east of Arizona,” said Governor Rendell during groundbreaking ceremonies for the Exelon-EPURON Solar Center. This project embodies the commitment weve made to renewable energy in the commonwealth.
“By enacting one of the nations most ambitious alternative energy portfolio standards, investing our resources wisely, and leveraging our strengths, we’ ve been able to attract exciting projects like this, along with some of the worlds leading renewable energy companies, to Pennsylvania.”
The $20 million Exelon-EPURON Solar Center will feature …
16,500 solar panels on a 16.5-acre tract of land adjacent to Waste Managements GROWS Landfill. Governor Rendell announced the project in August.
Upon completion, the solar plant will annually generate approximately 3,700 megawatt hours of energy per year, which is enough to meet the energy requirements of approximately 400 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 of planting 33 acres of trees every year or taking more than 440 cars off the road each year.
The facility is owned by EPURON LLC, a subsidiary of the worlds largest solar integration company, Conergy AG, which has its North American headquarters in Pennsylvania. Another Pennsylvania-based Conergy subsidiary, Conergy Systems USA — formerly SunTechnics — will build the solar center.
During his remarks, Governor Rendell said the commonwealth would be in a better position to compete for cutting-edge projects like the solar center if the state were equipped with the measures he called for more than a year ago in his Energy Independence Strategy.
The Governor called on the state Senate to pass separate pieces of legislation approved by the House of Representatives. House Bill 1202 was passed by the House in June and would replace nearly 1 billion gallons of imported fuels with homegrown alternatives. Earlier this month, the House passed Special Session House Bill 1 calling for $850 million in new state investments to grow Pennsylvanias advanced energy sectors by $3.5 billion, create 13,000 jobs, and provide incentives for consumers to use energy more efficiently and incorporate renewable technologies into their homes and businesses.
Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire
nadine sellers
March 21, 2008
just got news that the Lieberman-Warner energy bill study foresees no economic downturn due to reducing emissions in the US.
Quite the contrary, such projects as the one mentioned in Philly Eco-City. 4th largest solar power plant will ultimately save jobs and stabilize prices.
and sun is definitely renewable, other energy plants are costly to build, to retrofit, to operate and to maintain. sun and wind do not have to be transported nor paid in advance. the only expenses are capture and maintenance.
aside from bureaucratic entanglements and public resistance to change, i wonder why it has taken so long to implement necessary technologies. Political egos?
Larry Menkes
March 22, 2008
This is certainly good news for PA, the Delaware Valley, and Bucks County. Lets do more of this on our brownfields, our rooftops, and our parking lots.
Good news for SunTechnics founders Gary and Sarah who’ve, for years, done great work on solar renewable energy around here. Congratulations!
Nadine wonders why it takes so long to implement necessary technology. I believe part of the problem is that many of what I call the energy-hog generation are not aware of how wasteful they are being. And very few really know what’s going on in energy today, and how fragile and finite our energy supplies are.
Also, if everyone who thinks of themselves as environmentally-minded would change their dwellings to net-zero homes, or as close to that as possible, they’d set a better example to those who they wish to influence.
I predict that much will change in the next five years or so, and we’ll become the change we want to see in the world.