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Solar to Provide Back-up Power for Governor's Residence

February 23, 2005 | 4 Comments

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Malvern, Pennsylvania [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Pennsylvania recently joined the list of U.S. states making strong commitments to support renewable energy through a renewable portfolio standard. Now, the Pennsylvania Governor's residence is making it's own commitment with the installation of a battery-back up solar photovoltaic (PV) system.

The PA Governors Residence Solar Project is a collaboration of efforts from the Sustainable Development Fund, BP Solar, BP Products North America, the Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) and Mesa Environmental Sciences.

Mesa Environmental Sciences of Malvern, Pennsylvania is the project team leader selected by BP Solar to design, install and maintain a PV array on the Pennsylvania Governors Residence in Harrisburg. This project is being completed at no cost to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Governor Edward G. Rendell and First Lady Judge Marjorie Rendell with their son Jesse live in the 18th century English Georgian style residence.

The PA Governors Residence Solar Project is a collaboration of efforts from the Sustainable Development Fund, BP Solar, BP Products North America, the Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) and Mesa Environmental Sciences.

This is an ongoing effort lead by the SDF and the Million Solar Roofs partnership to promote solar energy by installing Solar PV on high profile buildings. Funding is provided by BP North America and a grant from the Sustainable Development Fund.

Lead by Sarah Hetznecker and Gary Sheehan, Mesa Environmental Sciences designed the 2.8 kW grid-tied, battery-backup solar array for the governor's residence, and is instrumental in leading the project team through concept, planning and installation scheduled to begin in mid February, 2005.

A 5KW system can supply a typical homeowner or small business with up to 25 to 75 percent of electric needs. Each year a 5 kW system eliminates on average 14,753 pounds of CO2, 20.6 pounds of NOX and 81.6 pounds of SO4 and is equivalent to planting 2 acres of trees.

Solar insolation in Pennsylvania is 2.5-3 kWh/m2/day compared with 4.5-5 kWh/m2 /day for Los Angeles. Pennsylvania is geographically well positioned to capture the suns rays for electricity. Currently, grants are available through various funding sources throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Solar Energy

4 Reader Comments

Comment
1 of 4

guest-user-0

February 24, 2005

Yeah but it's better than nothing! They should install a solar hot water system and have it tied into the heating system as well. This is where the greatest savings would be.

Comment
2 of 4

guest-user-0

February 24, 2005

To make sense of this, you will need to divide the information listed for the 5kW system by 2 then reduce this amount by 30%, for PA. But then you can see how ridicules a 2.8 kW system installed on the Governor’s Residence is. Did they not design a system that offset 100% of the electrical utility used at the residence? They could have gotten the system for the same price? Had they done so, then this would be NEWS! Would it not be better to state what a system, like this one will actually produce, and offset? "can supply a typical homeowner or small business with up to 12.5 to 37.5%" in California, and in PA with 30% less sun conditions, production is down to what, 8.75 to 26.5% typical. System cost, remains at $ 25,0000 before incentives. RE, why not report what BP would be charging for it’s product list without the incentives it receives from the US. Better I think to compare the costs of renewables to the REAL cost we are all paying for incentives given to oil companies in the US.

Comment
3 of 4

guest-user-0

March 1, 2005

Amen to both previous comments. I've been promoting solar in PA as a resident/businessman since 1997, and it is extremely difficult to progress in this state. Overcoming the inertial favor to entrenched energy systems is the problem, but we at least have a governor that is moving in the proper direction. To bad the Prez doesn't see it that way.

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4 of 4

guest-user-0

March 5, 2005

Having lived in PA, may I point out a major error, the peak sun hours stated are for December not the yearly average. Same problem for LA, the worst month is listed. The output is reasonable when actual sun-hours are used. The purpose of the installation is publicity and it does the job well - let's be thankful for that!

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