Delaware Electric Cooperative, a member-owned electric utility, announced that it will construct a state-of-the-art solar facility in Sussex County, Delaware. The project includes an installation of 20 acres of solar panels near Georgetown that have the capability to generate sufficient energy to power 500 houses.
Four megawatt solar park in Sussex County, Delaware
The solar park can be ultimately extended to 40 acres with the capacity to generate 8 MW of electricity. Groundbreaking for the solar park is likely to be held in the spring of 2012 and the construction is expected to be completed in 2013.
SunEdison, a global provider of solar-energy services, will develop the 4 MW solar park. It will help DEC to meet the renewable energy portfolio standards of Delaware, which require utilities to produce or purchase 25% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025. The solar project is anticipated to cost about $14 million.
The President and CEO of the Co-op, Bill Andrew stated that they are committed to deliver the highest value to their members by establishing the park at the lowest cost. The facility will supply power directly to the electric distribution system of DEC. Delaware workers and products manufactured in the state will be utilized to construct the facility and the solar panels used in the project will be purchased from Motech Americas, based in Newark, Delaware.