BRIDGEVILLE, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new kind of farm – a solar farm – is in operation near Bridgeville. The first phase of one of the largest commercially-owned solar power systems in the eastern United States is now online. Delaware dignitaries and executives from project partners Perdue, Standard Solar, Inc. and Washington Gas Energy Services (WGES) attended an open house at the site today to observe the array of 6,720 solar panels. The installation is Perdue’s latest initiative supporting its commitment to being environmentally friendly.
The Bridgeville installation, which will supply electricity to a nearby Perdue feed mill and Perdue AgriBusiness grain facility, is the first phase of a total 11,000 panels being installed at two Perdue facilities. The panels are owned by WGES and were installed by Standard Solar of Rockville, Md. Perdue will purchase green electricity generated by the solar panels at guaranteed prices. The second phase of the installation is currently under construction at the Perdue corporate offices in Salisbury, Md., and is expected to be complete in October 2011.
Both systems will generate a combined average of 3,700 megawatt hours of electricity each year, or the amount of power used by 340 typical U.S. homes. At peak production, the panels will produce as much as 90 percent of the electrical demand for each Perdue facility.
“We are pleased to ‘flip the switch’ on the Bridgeville installation and begin generating clean, renewable energy for our operations while lowering our energy costs. Stewardship is one of Perdue’s core values, so this is a perfect fit for the way we do business,” said Steve Schwalb, Perdue’s vice president of Environmental Sustainability.
Schwalb estimated the clean electricity from the solar panels will reduce carbon emissions by 3,000 tons per year, the equivalent of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from 300,000 gallons of gasoline per year, or nearly 4.5 million gallons through the life of the 15-year contract.
“The Bridgeville installation is a substantial step toward energy independence for Perdue and we are excited to showcase this significant milestone in the development of one of the largest solar installations on the East Coast,” said Scott Wiater, president of Standard Solar.
“Delaware has set aggressive goals for increasing the use of renewable energy in the State, and we are very happy to be working with one of its largest businesses to help achieve those goals,” said Harry Warren, president of WGES. “And as a leading competitive energy supplier in Delaware, we are also happy to demonstrate how competitive suppliers can work with end users to create creative, economical, and clean new energy supplies.”
Additionally, Perdue is currently renovating its corporate office to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standards. Three years ago, Perdue signed a first-in-the-industry Clean Waters Environmental Initiative with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help poultry growers adopt best pollution prevention practices. Ten years ago, Perdue built the nation’s first commercial poultry litter processing plant, the only process that is verifiably removing excess nutrients from the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Video of Perdue’s new solar farm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNFB4TW_P8Y
About Perdue
The Perdue Family of Companies includes Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness, family-owned companies dedicated to becoming the most-trusted names in food and agricultural products. The PERDUE® brand is the number-one brand of fresh chicken in the eastern United States, and Perdue Farms offers a growing roster of quality food products for consumers and foodservice. Perdue AgriBusiness ranks among the top US grain companies and is a leading processor, merchandiser and exporter of agricultural commodities. Privately held and family-run for three generations, the two companies employ more than 21,000 associates dedicated to enhancing the quality of life through innovative food and agricultural products. For more information, visit www.perdue.com®.
About Washington Gas Energy Services
Washington Gas Energy Services, Inc. is one of the largest competitive providers of electricity and natural gas in the mid-Atlantic region and supplies more than 350,000 customers in Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Headquartered in Herndon, Va., Washington Gas Energy Services is an affiliate of Washington Gas and a subsidiary of WGL Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:WGL). For more information, visit www.wges.com, or contact Alicia Moran, 410-991-7027 or alicia@brightlinemedia.com.
About Standard Solar
Standard Solar, Inc. is a leader in the full-service development, construction, integration, financing and installation of solar electric systems. Since 2004, Standard Solar has been the partner of choice to make solar energy financially accessible, helping customers through financing options, including Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and navigating expanded federal and state and local tax credits. Ranked the 73rd Fastest Growing Private Company in America in 2010 by Inc. magazine, and the highest-ranking renewable energy company on the list, Standard Solar is headquartered in Rockville, Md. For more information, please visit www.standardsolar.com, or contact Leah Wilkinson at WilkinsonShein Communications at 703-907-0010 or leah@wilkinsonshein.com.