A park district west of Chicago locked down lower electric rates for the next 20 years by going solar, calling its decision “advantageous” as they will receive stable and lower electricity rates than the energy market’s more volatile prices.
Through a a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA), the Elmhurst Park District’s 675 kW solar installation will be owned and operated by DSD Renewables. The park district also avoided the upfront costs for the installation.
PPAs are agreements in which a third-party developer installs, owns and operates a solar project and then sells its electric output to a customer for a predetermined period. As long-term contracts, PPAs lock electricity prices in for the duration of the agreement, providing stable and often lower electricity rates while making it easier for businesses to go solar even if they are not located near a solar facility.
The park district’s PPA is onsite, so the clean energy generated by the panels will directly toward powering the local grid. Alternatively, many PPAs are virtual, allowing companies to invest in solar energy even if the facility is not onsite.
PPAs can be powerful tools for businesses to save money and help the planet without incurring upfront costs. Along with providing with a fixed low rate, the buyer, in this case Elmhurst Park District, isn’t responsible for the financing or maintaining the installation.
(Read: Power purchase agreements 101)
According to the Elmhurst Park District, the installation is projected to have a net savings of $307,000 over its 20-year-agreement’s lifetime.
The project spans across Courts Plus, a fitness facility owned by Elmhurst Park District, and will generate about 754 MWh of clean energy annually, offsetting about half of the facility’s annual energy needs.
The installation uses modules made by Hanwah Q Cells; inverters made by Chint Power Systems; and Unirac racking, a spokesperson for DSD Renewables told pv magazine USA. DSD Renewables partnered with General Energy throughout the project’s development, but DSD will own and operate the project for the long term.
General Energy is part of DSD’s Developer Network, a channel partner program that provides regional developers with tools and resources to develop more projects.
General Energy began the project in September 2024 following the facility’s new metal roof.
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