Middle Township Public Schools 1.5 MW DC Solar Power Systems in Cape May County, NJ

How Solar Power Works for Middle Township Public School District

At the end of 2011 Constellation completed five solar power installations for the Middle Township Board of Education. The solar power systems are located at the Middle Township Elementary School 1 and 2, High School, Middle School and Administration Building in Cape May Court House, New Jersey. The photovoltaic installations are designed, built, owned and operated by Constellation.

Project Overview

1.5 MW DC on five sites
4 roof mounted structures
5,785 Yingli Panda 260 Watt mono-crystalline solar panels installed
1,755,418 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity expected to be generated each year
15-year power purchase agreement with the Middle Township Board of Education
The solar power systems are expected to generate 42 percent of the district's electricity needs
Commissioned December 2011

Why Middle Township Board of Education chose Solar?

The school district chose to host solar generation since it provides many positive opportunities for both the students and the community. In addition to energy cost savings and supporting the environment, the project serves as an educational resource, inspiring students to pursue academic and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Environmental Benefits

The solar installations produce more than 1.7 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually that, with non-renewable resources, would result in the release of more than 1,331 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the environment.

According to U.S. EPA data 1,331 metric tons of CO2 reduction is equivalent to:

261 passenger vehicles removed from the road each year
Electricity use of more than 166 average American homes
Emissions from approximately 149,248 gallons of gasoline consumed

Power Purchase Agreement

By financing this project through a 15-year power purchase agreement, Constellation required no upfront capital from Middle Township Board of Education and kept its power costs fixed at a lower than projected market rates.