Standard Solar has announced plans to bring solar energy to Broad Top Township and Coaldale Borough, Pa. with the development of a 69.2 kilowatt solar energy system. With this installation and others, Standard Solar is seeing increased customer demand in Pennsylvania.
Through this contract, funded by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection through a state Conservation Works grant from monies received as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ("ARRA"), Standard Solar will bring solar energy to Broad Top Township/Coaldale Borough.
The company will install 286 panels on the town's municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Riddlesburg which is expected to produce 80 percent of the power requirement for the plant.
The 68.64 kilowatt solar energy system will generate approximately 85.8 megawatt hours of electricity per year – without any greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve a comparable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the Township would need to plant 30 acres of trees.
"As a Pennsylvania native and Penn State grad, I am proud of the leadership role my home state is taking in solar energy. I grew up in a rural township in northeastern Pa., and I know that good ideas and forward thinking often spring from small places," said Standard Solar CEO Tony Clifford.
"Clean, green, domestically-produced solar energy is taking hold in towns and rural areas throughout our country, and Broad Top Township is helping lead the charge."
The project will create local jobs for subcontractors who will be hired to assist with the installation. All solar panels installed as part of the system are made in the USA, and recycled steel will be used for the racking to comply with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Installation of the system is expected to begin in early November.
Donald Hedge Jr., chairman, Broad Top Township said, "Broad Top Township has been and will continue to be innovative and forward thinking to assure that our residents have reliable services in the most cost effective manner. This project is a prime example of creating partnerships to work together to manage our wastewater operation costs.
"The generation of electricity via solar power will reduce our electric costs, which in turn will help keep our rates affordable. This would not have been possible except for the cooperation between Federal, State and Local governments working with the private sector. This project will provide safe, reliable, renewable energy for the future and help retain sustainable jobs for our local economy."
In addition to the environmental benefits of solar energy, an expanded federal tax credit and new solar grants for states in the mid-Atlantic region have made solar energy systems a more affordable – and more popular – way for residents and businesses to power their homes and offices.
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