Standard Solar, a leading solar energy company, has been selected by Montgomery Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), to construct, own and operate the 2.5 megawatt (MW) combined ground-mount arrays at South Germantown Recreational Park and Rock Creek Regional Park.

The 3,978 panel, 1.32 MW array at South Germantown Recreational Park is expected to be completed in December of this year. Rock Creek Regional Park will feature a 1.173 MW ground-mount array with 3,456 solar panels and is expected to be completed in early 2018. The system takes advantage of aggregate net metering-whereby municipal, non-profit, agricultural customers can offset energy use at any of their meters with solar located remotely on a single meter-and is expected to provide power for multiple park facilities.

Both arrays are being built simultaneously and will use local contractors and labor, creating local jobs in Montgomery County.

When completed, the combined arrays will produce about 3,500,000 kWh of solar electricity annually, thereby offsetting 2,877 tons of greenhouse gases yearly. This offset is the equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 3,074 acres of U.S. forest or the amount of CO2 generated in the production of the grid-supplied electricity used by 391 average American homes in a typical year.

"These projects represent another great example of counties and municipalities reaching sustainability goals and enhancing their financial bottom line by taking advantage of installing solar on unused land," said Scott Wiater, president & CEO, Standard Solar. "We applaud Montgomery County and M-NCPPC for their unwavering commitment to sustainability and these projects."

Standard Solar financed the projects through a long-term power purchase agreement and will own, operate and maintain the systems.

Standard Solar | www.standardsolar.com