Solar Energy Shines at University of Maryland Eastern Shore
March 28, 2011
Staff-HispanicBusiness.com
|
|
|
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
|
Solar energy inspired a powerful partnership. In a victory for green energy enthusiasts, University of Maryland Eastern Shore and SunEdison have activated a 2.2 megawatt solar-energy facility on the institution's campus. UMES is a land-grant, historically black college that was founded in 1886 and in 1988 became a member of the University of Maryland system.
The solar farm will produce approximately 3.3 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy in its first year of operation, according to the institution. To put this in perspective, a typical household consumes about 11,000 kWh per year -- meaning that the solar plant is anticipated to produce at least 300 homes' worth of power, all through the power of the sun.
According to UMES, the solar farm resulted from a "strategic service agreement" between SunEdison, a company that develops, finances and operates solar plants, and the university. According to the university's statement: "SunEdison financed and built the solar farm at no cost to UMES or the state of Maryland. In return, UMES will purchase the power produced from the solar farm at long-term predictable rates to offset the university's demand from the energy grid."
Source: HispanicBusiness.com (c) 2011. All rights reserved.
|
