RIO RANCHO, N.M. &
MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc., today announced it signed a contract with
Rio Rancho Public Schools,
AMSOLAR and
Conergy to build, own and operate two 1,215-kilowatt solar arrays at
Cleveland and Rio Rancho High Schools. The arrays, when completed, will be the first successful power purchase agreement arrangement completed by Washington Gas Energy Systems with a public school system in the state of
New Mexico. The project is currently under construction and will be completed this summer.
"This project did not require any upfront financial investment on the part of the school district and will bring clean, renewable solar power to both of our high schools," said
Al Sena
, executive director of facilities at Rio Rancho Public Schools. "At a time when budgets are tight, we've worked with AMSOLAR and Washington Gas Energy Systems to develop a very worthwhile venture that reduces our energy costs from the moment the system goes live while bettering the quality of life for our community."
Washington Gas Energy Systems will own and operate the systems under a 20-year power purchase agreement. The project was developed by AMSOLAR and will be constructed by Conergy, which is also supplying the equipment for both schools. Each solar installation will feature 2.9 miles of Conergy SolarLinea mounting systems, a ground-mounted solution. When completed, the installations are expected to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to the recycling of 1,136 tons of waste instead of sending it to a landfill or taking 632 passenger cars off the road for one year.
"The Rio Rancho Public School System is bringing value to the community by providing an educational vehicle for the classrooms through a clean and efficient energy solution," said
Sanjiv Mahan
, vice president of business development for Washington Gas Energy Systems. "We are committed to collaborating with communities across the country to minimize their carbon footprints while reducing their energy costs."
Construction of the project began this month. When completed, the expected annual output will produce 80 percent of the electricity required to power Cleveland and Rio Rancho High Schools.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with Washington Gas Energy Systems and Conergy to deliver a world-class solar facility at Rio Rancho High School and Cleveland High Schools," said
Jared Quient
, vice president of AMSOLAR. "This project is a testament to Rio Rancho Public Schools' leadership in sustainability and innovation."
About Rio Rancho Public Schools:
Rio Rancho Public Schools (RRPS) is New Mexico's third largest school district and enrolls approximately 17,000 students in 19 schools. The district offers challenging academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular programs which prepare students for success in higher education, the workplace, and the military. Graduation rates and overall performance on national tests such as the ACT meet or exceed national averages. In 2011, the Center for American Progress rated Rio Rancho the top district in New Mexico for return on investment: academic results achieved for dollars expended.
About Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc.
Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc., an affiliate of Washington Gas Light Company and a subsidiary of WGL Holdings (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, 703-333-3929 or email nategreenberg@wges.com.
About AMSOLAR:
AMSOLAR is a leading developer of solar energy solutions for school districts, corporations, and municipalities nationwide. Founded in the United States in 2008, our three managing partners brought a successful 20-year track record of developing commercial and utility solar energy systems throughout the United States and Europe. Together with our parent company, Solen AG, we have installed over 3,000 facilities worldwide. AMSOLAR brings together best in class finance, development, engineering and installation capabilities. For more information on AMSOLAR, contact
Jared Quient
at 760-480-7460 or email jared@amsolarcorp.com.
About Conergy:
Conergy supplies complete solar energy solutions from a single source. As a leading PV Solution and Service Provider, Conergy offers its customers tailor made, worry-free, high-performance packages – be it for private or commercial roofs or for multi-megawatt installations. Along with supplying the "hardware" – all the necessary components for a solar plant – Conergy's complete solutions also include a full range of related solar services from architectural planning to yield insurance providing total piece of mind. Conergy sells its system solutions around the world. Being active in over 40 countries across 5 continents, and with subsidiaries in 15 countries, Conergy ensures customers are never far from a Conergy expert. For its turnkey solar plants all around the world, Conergy's exacting standards apply. Conergy is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and currently employs around 1,200 staff worldwide. Since its foundation in 1998, the company has produced and sold more than 2.2 gigawatts of clean solar energy and planned and constructed solar power plants with a capacity of more than 420 megawatts.
Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc.
Lisa Fels
, 703-739-2424 x110
lfels@brightlinemedia.com
Source: Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc.
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