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BALTIMORE, MD. (April 24, 2012) – Today, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, and Department of General Services Director Theodore Atwood took part in a ribbon cutting for the newly completed solar installation at the City’s Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant. The installation is expected to save the City of Baltimore more than $6 million over the life of the project by increasing the City’s reliance on renewable solar energy.
“Starting today, when the sun shines its brightest, Baltimore is creating clean, renewable energy for a healthier environment,” said Mayor Rawlings-Blake. “The addition of solar energy to our ever-growing arsenal of energy-efficiency initiatives marks another step in the growth of a more sustainable Baltimore.”
The one-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) system was installed at a field located within the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant, a facility of the City’s Department of Public Works. Subsidized in part by a $900,000 Maryland Energy Administration “Project Sunburst” grant, the PV system is capable of generating 1,000 kilowatts of electricity per hour. Producing clean electricity at a low cost for the City frees valuable budget dollars that can be allocated to other initiatives.
The installation is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 9,500 metric tons annually—equivalent to planting 245,500 trees and removing nearly 1,800 passenger vehicles from the road.
Johnson Controls has implemented other energy-saving projects for the City of Baltimore, including enhancements to City Hall, courthouses, fire stations, and office buildings, along with the implementation of a cogeneration facility at Back River Waste Water Treatment Plant. These projects are expected to save Baltimore an estimated $60.8 million in energy and operational costs over a 15-year performance contract.
The Baltimore City Department of General Services maintains the efficient operation, upgrade, and maintenance of City buildings and a fleet of over 5,700 city-owned vehicles. This includes renovations to public facilities such as libraries, fire stations, and recreation centers. In honor of Earth Day, Johnson Controls announced that Baltimore was named one of the 2012 Top 10 Earth Day Champions as a result of the amount of carbon reduced annually.
In 2011, DGS was named one of the top 25 electric vehicle ready cities in the United States by Ford Motor Company, showing a readiness to support the growing electric vehicle industry. The agency has appeared in the Wall Street Journal in a building energy efficiency ad and is on-target to surpass both the City’s sustainability goals and Maryland’s renewable energy goals. Currently, DGS is installing low-energy street lights at a savings of $300 annually per pole. Recently completed lighting retrofits in the 15 City-owned garages result in a near 50% reduction in electricity costs. To find out more about DGS visit us on the web at www.baltimorecity.gov.
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Visit our Website @ www.baltimorecity.gov
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