Solar projects on former brownfields will rank among state’s largest
Oct. 28, 2013 7:31 PM
Written by Arron Nathans, The News Journal
Two solar projects under construction in northern Delaware, both on former brownfields, are expected to rank among the biggest such arrays in New Castle County.
The larger project, which will produce 2 megawatts of power, is nearly complete on 7 acres of industrial land at Seventh and Industrial Streets in downtown Wilmington, near the Kalmar Nyckel tall ship.
A megawatt is a snapshot measure roughly equal to the amount of power it takes to run 750 homes at any one moment.
According to Public Service Commission records, this will be the largest project in the county once it is up and running. The largest current project in the county is an AstraZeneca array that generates 0.56 megawatts, the PSC said. There are multiple projects of 10 megawatts and above in Sussex County.
The panels for the Wilmington project are being supplied by Motech Americas Inc., which has a factory in Newport, according to Dale Davis of CMI Solar & Electric, the electrical contractor.
The smaller of the two new arrays, a 500 kilowatt project on the site of a former landfill at 0 S. James St., is located on DuPont property, and is directly across the Christina River from the BASF plant. DuPont has “initiated a project to put the site into productive use generating solar electricity,” said Terry Gooding, a public affairs manager at DuPont.
Gooding said the panels “will provide a viable renewable energy option for the Newport community.” The details, Gooding said, are expected to be revealed following the project’s completion at the end of November.
Gooding said the panels are being supplied by DuPont Apollo Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont.
The PSC reports this will be the fourth largest in the county, once it is running, behind the new one downtown, the AstraZeneca array, and one at the Porter Filtration Plant, the City of Wilmington’s water treatment facility.
Newport Mayor Mikencer said the project is in New Castle County, outside of Newport’s borders.
The two new projects share an owner, Greenwood Energy; a developer, Tangent Energy Solutions; and an electrical contractor, CMI.
Read full article here http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20131029/BUSINESS/310290037
