Summer 2010 issue--The community of Forest Reach, along with its solar installation company, Flexera, a Harbeson, Del., based solar and wind company, recently reached an agreement with Delmarva Power for a first-of-its-kind system in Delaware. The solar panel system designed and built by Flexera has just become the first small-scale solar power plant in Delaware to sell its generated energy wholesale to the PJM-managed regional power grid.
The 15,000-watt system, which pays for running the 58-home Forest Reach community’s streetlights, pool, pool house, irrigation and pond pumps, is a three part system. The first quarter generates energy for the pool house, the second quarter for the pond pumps. Both of those are similar to any net metering system.
The third part, which makes up half of the system, is not tied to any local load, explained Mike Manlove, an engineer with Flexera – making it unique and the first of its kind. All of the power goes directly to the grid, and they are selling energy back to the wholesale market.
“It’s the first we have done,” said Manlove. “And it’s the first Pepco Holdings has done,” he noted of the parent company of Delmarva Power. “The revenue will offset the streetlights.”
The homeowners association started to research renewable energy opportunities after selling some land to the state of Delaware and having some extra cash on hand. They were frustrated last year, though, because they had a third of the system completed and then ran into problems in getting Delmarva Power to interconnect.
Because the streetlights are rented, Forest Reach could not do the typical net metering because of the way the regulations are written. Bob Weigner of Delmarva Power said they had many guidelines and rules to follow, and they looked at different possibilities, because everyone had the common goal of “getting more solar on the grid.” He said he hopes other communities will get on board, and he emphasized that Delmarva Power is willing to work with anyone. “Hopefully, it will be a lot smoother process down the road,” he joked.
State Sen. George Howard Bunting and Rep. Gerald Hocker were there for the ribbon-cutting on the new generating system, as were Flexera representatives and representatives from Delmarva Power.
“A lot of communities have their eye on exactly what you are doing,” said Hocker, noting that many of the state’s sustainable energy bills and bills on net metering can be attributed to Sen. Harris McDowell.
Mike Ball, president of the Forest Reach homeowners association, thanked his neighbors – many of whom were at the ribbon-cutting, and said, “Without your support, we wouldn’t have gotten past square one.”
About the process of negotiation, Forest Reach HOA member Bill Rivel said, “As an outsider, it seemed like they were throwing darts. But over time, the focus came together – and there’s the bull’s eye, everyone,” he added, pointing to the solar panels.
Ball noted that communities should look into something like Forest Reach’s facility quickly, as rebates and funds that reduce the cost of such projects will not last forever.
Ben Farr of Flexera thanked Ball and Rivel for helping to make it happen, and he thanked everyone involved, too, saying it wouldn’t have been technologically or financially possible just 10 years ago. He said such facilities are the future and will benefit generations to come.
For more information, visit www.flexera.net.
