Constellation, an Exelon company, is breaking ground on a 10 megawatt (DC) solar energy project that will account for around 20 percent of the Town of Ocean City’s annual energy use.
Sited near the intersection of Routes 50 and 90 (about 10 miles west of downtown Ocean City), the solar array will provide energy for several of the town’s key buildings, including its city hall, convention center, and water plant.
“This solar array is a leading project of its kind and a true example of the Town of Ocean City’s commitment to renewable energy and a sustainable future for our resort community,” Mayor Rick Meehan said. “Thanks to our continued collaboration with Constellation, in the first year, the Town of Ocean City will receive nearly 6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity from this solar generation project, and a lower energy rate than conventional renewable electricity supply, saving Ocean City taxpayers an expected $120,000 per year.”
Upon completion, the solar project will satisfy a key commitment of Exelon’s 2016 merger with Pepco Holdings — adding 10 megawatts of solar generation in Delmarva Power’s Maryland service area.
The system is expected to produce more than 5.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity for the Town of Ocean City and reduce carbon emissions by nearly 4,200 metric tons in the first year, the greenhouse gas equivalent of 899 passenger vehicles driven, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates.
“We are proud to help the Town of Ocean City support the continued adoption of renewable energy in the state of Maryland,” said Brendon Quinlivan, executive director, Distributed Energy Origination for Constellation. “This type of project offers our customers a clean energy solution that blends onsite renewables and contracted offsite renewables, as well as the more traditional power and gas supply contracts provided by Constellation throughout the U.S.”
In addition to Ocean City, Eastman Chemical Company will procure a portion of the solar project’s production to power its manufacturing facility in Chestertown, Md. In total, the solar project consists of more than 30,000 photovoltaic panels on 113 acres of land.
Developer United Renewable Energy will provide day-to-day oversight and coordination throughout the construction process. The project is slated to be completed before the end of 2018.
