07/29/24 - 107 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/7k7dpu47
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Aqua America Completes Solar Farm In Chester County
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Aqua America Chief Financial Officer David P. Smeltzer said its utility operations are making deliberate steps into the alternative energy arena having recently completed a fourth solar installation to power as many water treatment facilities.
Smeltzer’s remarks were made in Philadelphia yesterday at the 19th Annual Emerald Groundhog Day Investment Forum sponsored by Emerald Asset Management.
“Our investment in solar makes perfect sense for us because we are such heavy consumers of electricity. Next to labor, it’s our greatest expense,” said Smeltzer.
Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc. recently completed construction of the latest installation—1.5 megawatt (MW) solar farm located on 6.5 acres of ground at the site of Aqua’s Pickering water treatment plant in Schuylkill Township, Chester County.
The farm, which will help power Aqua’s largest water treatment facility, is expected to reduce Aqua’s grid-tied usage by 2.2 million kilowatts (kW) annually resulting in a direct economic benefit of $250,000 each year in avoided energy costs in 2012.
Aqua’s first solar facility was constructed in 2009 at its Ingram’s Mill water treatment plant in East Bradford Township, Chester County. The 1 MW farm was built on 4.5 acres of land and has reduced grid-tied usage by 1.3 million kilowatt-hours during the past 12 months resulting in a direct economic benefit of $130,000 annually in energy savings.
Late last year, Aqua America’s New Jersey subsidiary constructed two solar farms at treatment facilities in Lopatcong Township, Warren County and in Gloucester Township, Camden County. The 0.4 MW facility in Lopatcong powers the company’s ultraviolet light water treatment plant and is expected to save the company more than $72,000 in electricity costs.
The smaller 0.07MW solar farm in Gloucester Township powers a well station where it is expected to achieve approximately $13,000 annually in electricity savings. Collectively, the New Jersey solar facilities offset the need for 940 barrels of oil annually, or avoid the equivalent of 926,000 car miles each year, or reduces CO2 emissions by 885,000 pounds annually.
All four projects alleviate congestion on the PJM grid resulting in additional savings to all consumers by reducing line losses and congestion charges during daytime hours. Aqua Pennsylvania is one of the largest producers of solar power in Pennsylvania and is the largest water utility producer of solar energy in the Commonwealth.
“We buy electricity at night when demand is lowest, which reduces our costs. During the day when pricing is highest and need is greatest, we reduce our dependency on the grid at the Pickering facility and get off the grid at the other three facilities," said Smeltzer. “We produce enough power to sell some back to the grid during optimum periods. Our cost savings benefit Aqua customers because the expense savings are passed on to customers. Our usage savings benefit other electricity consumers overall because the excess power we sell back to the grid helps keeps pricing down for everyone."
“Additionally, there is an environmental benefit because we are producing power with greatly reduced emissions, which shrinks our carbon footprint and helps lower the need for the construction of new power generation facilities,” said Smeltzer.
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2/13/2012 |
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