Montgomery County, Md., Executive Isiah Leggett and other local officials have marked completion of a solar project at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.
According to a press release, the project includes two ground-mounted arrays and one rooftop array and is expected to produce 3.5 million kWh of electricity each year, enough to provide more than 60% of the electricity used by the correctional facility. The project is part of a larger initiative to install solar on other Montgomery County properties, moving the county closer to independence from both the power grid and the rising cost of electricity.
“Montgomery County is making significant strides toward energy independence by generating clean, local, renewable energy on county facilities,” says Leggett. “Thanks to a public-private partnership, we are able add solar to our public facilities at no upfront cost to the county.”
County Council President Roger Berliner adds, “With this project, Montgomery County continues to demonstrate leadership in renewable energy. We’re showing the promise of solar power in our community and saving taxpayers money while doing it.”
The release says Montgomery County is also working toward even greater independence from the power grid by implementing microgrid projects at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility and Public Safety Headquarters. The microgrids will use a combination of on-site solar power and efficient generators to supply all of the power needed for these facilities, allowing the county to operate critical, public safety services without interruption even during major storms or disasters. The county’s solar and planned microgrid projects not only generate clean power, but also take stress off the grid during extreme weather conditions, which benefits local and regional residents and businesses, the release adds.
Photo courtesy of Montgomery County
