FEDERALSBURG, Md. & MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Caroline County Public School Officials today joined local elected officials and representatives from Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc. and Kenyon Energy to dedicate three ground-mounted solar systems with the expected annual energy output of 2,800 MWh of renewable electricity. The solar arrays will provide power to the Caroline Career and Technology Center (CCTC), North Caroline High School, Colonel
Richardson Middle
and High Schools as well as Greensboro Elementary School all located within the Caroline County Public School District.
"Today, we are pleased to dedicate these three solar projects which, in total, have created the largest public school affiliated solar project on Maryland's Eastern Shore," said Dr.
Khalid Mumin
, Superintendent of Caroline County Public Schools. "These arrays will provide clean, renewable energy to our classrooms, as well as help improve our local air and water quality. In fact, over 30-years, this solar project will allow us to reduce greenhouse gases equal to the planting of nearly 326,450 trees."
Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc. will own and operate the systems, which were built with no up-front costs to the schools through a power purchase agreement. The arrays were designed and installed by Kenyon Energy. The three arrays of 919 kW-DC (CCTC and North Caroline High School), 796 kW-DC (Colonel
Richardson Middle
and High Schools) and 315 kW-DC (Greensboro Elementary), combined create a 2,030 kW-DC ground-mounted system consisting of 8,288 solar panels.
"We thank Caroline County Public Schools and its Officials for their environmental stewardship and support of this solar initiative, one that is in keeping with our mission to invest in the development of renewable energy assets," said
Sanjiv Mahan
, Vice President of Business Development for Washington Gas Energy Systems. "We also recognize and appreciate the commitment of the County Commissioners, local community, contractors and Kenyon Energy. Their dedication played a significant role in the ability to complete this substantial solar project. Over the last three years, WGL Holdings, Inc. has invested more than $92 million into the development of solar generation nation-wide and $40 million in Maryland."
Now completed, the arrays can be seen on the properties surrounding the schools and will be used as teaching instruments within the schools.
"We want to commend the facilities management team and the Caroline County School Board for their foresight and vision to provide unused school grounds for the introduction of renewable power. It is very rewarding to see a project concept that began in 2011 come to fruition for the Caroline County Public Schools," said
Michael Dykstra
, Kenyon Energy Senior Vice President.
About Caroline County Public Schools
Caroline County Public Schools is a rural county wide school system located on Maryland's Eastern Shore, providing a high quality education for approximately 5,500 students in ten schools; five elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools and one county-wide career and technology center. Caroline County Public Schools has offered full day kindergarten for all students for over twenty five years; pre-school programs are offered at all elementary schools and special classes for exceptional children are located within each school. Caroline County Public Schools has a long-standing commitment to maintaining small class sizes and with few exceptions, class sizes are kept below 30 students. For more information please visit our website: http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcl.k12.md.us%2F&esheet=50452554&lan=en-US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Fcl.k12.md.us%2F&index=1&md5=700e8907eaafb3f1ca1e4abcddded701.
About Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc.
Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc., an affiliate of Washington Gas and a subsidiary of WGL Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: WGL), design-builds and owns custom energy solutions that deliver financial, operational and carbon reduction results for non-residential customers across the United States. Washington Gas Energy Systems is focused on federal energy efficiency projects and commercial distributed generation assets including solar. For more information on how Washington Gas Energy Systems can make solar power a reality for you contact
Nate Greenberg
, 703-288-3614 x29, or e-mail nategreenberg@wges.com.
About Kenyon Energy
Through its nation-wide funding, development and operation of commercial scale solar power facilities, Kenyon Energy provides cost effective renewable energy solutions to offset traditional energy consumption. By offering fully funded, turnkey renewable power solutions, Kenyon Energy helps make solar and other alternative power sources realistic alternatives for public and private sector entities. The company currently provides funding and ongoing operational support for systems in 16 states ranging in size up to 20 MW. For more information, call
Mike Dykstra
at (727) 608-1019 or at mdykstra@kenyonenergy.com.
Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc.
Media Contact:
Alicia Moran
, 410-991-7027
Source: Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc.
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