Apr 29 2008
Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty today hailed an announcement by the city of Philadelphia that a vacant, seven-acre brownfield at the Navy Yard will soon help to meet Pennsylvania's energy needs with clean, renewable solar technology.
McGinty said the project -- a joint venture between the city and two leading companies in electricity generation and renewable energy development -- will bolster and diversify the commonwealth's supply of affordable and reliable renewable energy, while also creating skilled jobs and a stronger economy.
"With Governor Rendell leading the charge, we've worked hard to build a new energy economy -- one that encourages the development and deployment of clean, renewable energy," said McGinty, who was on hand outside of City Hall today for the announcement. "We've opened the door to new markets and targeted our resources to attract some of the world's leading renewable energy developers. Those investments have paid off as these companies are creating jobs for our skilled and talented workforce and helping us meet our energy needs in an environmentally friendly manner.
"With the cost of fossil fuels continuing to rise, renewable energy technologies like solar, wind and biomass are becoming increasingly attractive and cost-competitive. This innovative solar project will take idle land and turn it into an asset for the commonwealth by creating energy, jobs and a stable, reliable supply of electricity to serve our families and businesses."
The facility will be developed and owned by EPURON LLC, a subsidiary of the world's largest solar integration company, Conergy AG. Conergy has its North American headquarters in Pennsylvania.
The facility will feature between 6,000 and 8,000 solar panels on a tract of land north of the Aker shipyard, and will produce up to 1.4 million kilowatt hours of electricity by the first quarter of 2009, or enough to meet the energy requirements of as many as 200 homes.
At this output, emission levels of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide that directly contribute to pollution and acid rain will be reduced by the equivalent of planting 300 acres of mature trees and offsetting the impact of cars driving as many as 50 million miles.
Exelon Generation Corp. has entered into a 20-year agreement to purchase the electricity generated from the Exelon-EPURON Solar Center at the Navy Yard. The purchase is part of 2007 power purchase agreement that also includes the electricity generated at the Exelon-EPURON Solar Center in Falls Township, Bucks County.
The Navy Yard project represents as much as a $12 million investment that will create approximately 40 construction jobs and 10 permanent jobs. Together with the Falls Township site, the aggregate project is the largest solar photovoltaic installation on the East Coast.
Pennsylvania is expected to add 850 megawatts of clean, renewable solar energy capacity by 2021 under the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act. The law requires that 18 percent of all energy generated in the state come from advanced sources by 2021, including 0.5 percent from solar.
The AEPS law has also helped Pennsylvania attracted $1 billion in economic growth in projects that have helped create about 3,000 new jobs in rapidly growing industries, such as wind and solar power, biofuels manufacturing, and other areas supporting these sectors.
Under Governor Edward G. Rendell's Energy Independence Strategy, the commonwealth will attract $3.5 billion in new investments to the state and create 13,000 new jobs. The plan will expand Pennsylvania's energy production and technology sectors, save consumers $10 billion in energy costs over the next 10 years, and reduce the state's dependence on foreign fuels.
"We need the Energy Independence Strategy today," said McGinty. "Motorists are feeling the pain of $3.60-per-gallon gasoline, truck drivers are trying to cope with diesel prices now well above $4 per gallon, and our families and businesses are wondering how they're going to manage double-digit spikes in their electricity rates in the coming years. We need to invest in our energy future now, so our consumers have the tools they need to mitigate these price increases."
Key components of the Governor's plan are awaiting action in the Senate, some since June. Special session House Bill 1 will target $850 million to grow Pennsylvania's renewable energy industry; House Bill 2200 will help consumers conserve energy and use it more efficiently with tools such as smart meters; and House Bill 1202 will replace nearly 1 billion gallons of foreign oil with homegrown alternatives such as ethanol and biodiesel.