Delaware Electric Cooperative announced generation is moving into the grid from the Bruce A. Henry Solar Energy Farm near Georgetown. A portion of the 20 acre solar complex began producing power in July. The entire facility went online on Aug. 21.
Construction on the solar energy farm began in January, as more than 40 Delaware contractors worked to install 16,000 solar panels. The panels were manufactured in Delaware by Motech Americas, based in Glasgow. The project was managed by SunEdison. Delaware Electric is based in Greenwood.
“Once plans to build the solar farm were finalized, we decided to use products made in Delaware. Aside from the obvious environmental benefits, this project has provided a boost to the state’s economy,” said Bill Andrew, CEO of Delaware Electric Cooperative.
According to Dave Holleran, senior manager of module sales at Motech, “We feel this is particularly meaningful since these solar panels were made right in Delaware by an American workforce. That brings us a certain amount of pride and satisfaction and we are confident of the energy-saving and environmental benefits that this installation will deliver.”
The solar farm is capable of producing four megawatts of electricity, enough to power 500 homes. The project cost $14 million and co-op officials said the facility could later be expanded to 40 acres, with the ability to produce power for 1,000 homes.
The co-operative is required under state mandates to meet a timetable that calls for getting a quarter of its electricity from renewable sources.
The renewable energy project was developed by SunEdison and in the first year of operation the farm will prevent more than 12 million pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the air—the equivalent of taking 1,239 cars off the road.
“Delaware Electric Cooperative is a national leader in providing cheaper, cleaner and more reliable energy,” said Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Collin O’Mara. “With this new solar energy farm, the Cooperative is helping Delaware transition to a cleaner energy future, supporting local manufacturing and construction, and further establishing our state as a national leader in solar power.”
The state ranked seventh in a recent report on solar power usage.
The farm is named after longtime DEC board member Bruce A. Henry. According to the cooperative, Henry is a strong proponent of renewable energy and sits on the Board of Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, which provides energy to Delaware Electric Co-op and ten other electric cooperatives in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
At present, about ten percent of the co-op’s energy comes from green sources. Earlier this year, DEC also announced a plan to purchase energy produced at the Sandtown Landfill in Kent County, Del. New engines are being built at the site, and the equipment will convert excess methane gas into electricity. The co-op expects to purchase enough energy to power 1,000 homes.
While solar power is still more expensive than other forms of generation, costs of solar cells have dropped, no small matter for the cooperative, which has the lowest rates in the state.
