by Rebecca Walker — October 21, 2009—More than 1,000 solar panels will be installed on four Catholic University buildings this fall, creating the largest solar-energy system in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
CUA has signed a 20-year agreement with Washington Gas Energy Services Inc. (WGES) to purchase electricity generated by the solar panels at guaranteed prices.
In November, Standard Solar Inc. of Gaithersburg, Md., will install 1,088 3-by-6-foot solar panels on the roofs of the Raymond A. DuFour Center and Aquinas, Flather and Gibbons halls. Collectively, the panels will comprise the largest photovoltaic system in the Washington area, in terms of electricity that will be produced.
The solar-panel system, which will be installed at no cost to CUA and be owned and operated by WGES, will produce about 340,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year. The projected solar-generated electricity represents about three-quarters of 1 percent of the 44 million kilowatt hours used annually by the university. The electricity will be used by the buildings where it is produced.
By the end of the year, installation of 30,233 square feet of solar panels will be completed and the panels will be producing electricity. The four buildings were chosen for their southern exposure, among other criteria, after an evaluation of 20 campus buildings.
For more information, see the WGES Web site.
