WGL Energy Systems, a WGL company, today announced the completion of a 3.2 megawatt (MW) solar facility in Devens, a 4,400-acre community in north-central Massachusetts. The fully installed photovoltaic (PV) solar system is designed to provide power to the residential, commercial and industrial customers of the Devens Utilities Department. MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development authority, is redeveloping Devens – a former U.S. Army base – into a mixed-use community.
The system consists of 10,488 rooftop solar panels installed on top of two buildings in Devens at 66 Saratoga Boulevard and 18 Independence Drive.
WGL Energy, with more than 205 MW DC of distributed solar power capacity operational or under contract in 19 states across the U.S., owns and operates the facility and will sell power to the Devens community under a 24-year power purchase agreement (PPA).
WGL Energy operates 13 solar projects throughout Massachusetts, with a combined capacity of over 24 MW DC. Sol Systems developed the project and managed the engineering, construction and procurement of equipment for the project’s two solar facilities.
“WGL Energy is proud to support the Devens community with energy solutions,” said Sanjiv Mahan, president, WGL Energy Systems. “We are dedicated to delivering energy answers that empower customers to incorporate renewable energy as a source, to lower carbon emissions, and to reduce energy spend.”
“With zero-net-energy homes and acres of protected open space, Devens is at the forefront of sustainability in north-central Massachusetts,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones. “Providing diverse energy sources for our businesses and residents is a top priority of the Devens Utilities Department, and we’re pleased to work with WGL Energy on this innovative project.”
“Sol Systems values the opportunity to partner with WGL Energy and Devens and closely collaborate on a successful solar project,” said Yuri Horwitz, CEO, Sol Systems.
The project, which started at 66 Saratoga Boulevard in Devens in November 2015 and at 18 Independence Drive in Devens in March 2016, was recently completed.
The solar facilities are expected to produce more than 30,000 megawatt hours (MWh) per year of electricity, which avoids more than 21,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, the equivalent to the amount emitted by more than 4,450 cars or the electric power used by more than 2,200 homes in one year.
