1.404 MW Photovoltaic Project Completed at Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs Campus

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 11, the State of Connecticut government and project partners announced the completion of construction of two photovoltaic (PV) facilities at the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) main campus and skilled nursing center in Rocky Hill, with a total installed capacity of 1.404 MW (DC). The project was organized and implemented by the Connecticut Green Bank through the Solar MAP+ program and is expected to generate approximately 1.84 million kWh per year, saving the state government approximately $2.2 million in energy costs over a 20-year operating period.

The two PV facilities serve the campus administrative and residential buildings and the veterans skilled nursing center, respectively. The main campus PV system has an installed capacity of 604.8 kW and is expected to generate approximately 784,900 kWh per year; the skilled nursing center PV system has an installed capacity of 799.2 kW and is expected to generate approximately 1,059,100 kWh per year. According to project estimates, the latter can meet approximately 85% of the nursing center's annual electricity demand, while the PV system can cover approximately 35% of the electricity demand of the main campus buildings.

The project adopts a public-private partnership development model between public institutions and private energy companies. The Connecticut Green Bank is responsible for organizing project development through the Solar MAP+ program, Greenskies Clean Energy undertook the engineering, procurement, and construction of the two PV facilities, and Kearsarge Energy is responsible for long-term ownership, operation, and maintenance. Kearsarge has previously partnered with the Green Bank to advance another 9 PV projects at state government facilities, and these two Department of Veterans Affairs campus projects are also included in this partnership portfolio.

According to the project's economic estimates, the main campus system is expected to save approximately $665,400 in electricity costs over 20 years, and the skilled nursing center approximately $1,538,100, totaling approximately $2.2 million, or an average of approximately $110,000 per year. The project is also included in Connecticut's GreenerGov CT government facility energy efficiency program, through which the state government reduces conventional electricity purchase expenditures by deploying PV facilities on public buildings and reduces greenhouse gas emissions from the operations of public institutions.