Pennsylvania to Host Largest East Coast Solar Power Plant
Plans call for more than 16,500 solar panels to be installed on 16.5 acres, adjacent to Waste Management’s GROWS Landfill, in Falls Township, about 30 miles north of Philadelphia.
Upon completion, the plant will produce approximately 3,700 megawatt hours of power, enough to meet the annual energy requirements of 300 to 350 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 benefit of planting 33 acres of trees every year.
Governor Ed Rendell has announced that Exelon Generation Co. signed a 20-year power purchase agreement for the energy produced at the solar plant with EPURON GmbH, Hamburg, Germany, a subsidiary of Conergy AG. EPURON is a project development and structured finance company in the renewable energy sector.
“In the next few years,” says Governor Rendell, “consumers and businesses across the state are expected to encounter dramatic energy cost increases. This major announcement shows that affordable, secure and alternative sources of power are available now and will result in a cleaner environment, competitive energy prices and the reduction of our dependence on foreign fuel.”