BLACKSBURG – The Town of Blacksburg is constructing an 866.71-kilowatt rooftop solar power system at the Blacksburg Transit facility.
The system is being completed at no upfront cost to the town through a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Secure Solar Futures.
A Virginia-based solar design, installation and service company, Baseline Solar, will begin installation of 1,469 solar panels on the rooftop of the Blacksburg Transit (BT) facility, located at 2800 Commerce St. in the near future.
“Baseline Solar has served Blacksburg and the New River Valley for 18 years. We focus on bringing clean energy systems and sustainability education to our area and are pleased to be a part of such a monumental project for the town where we were founded,” said Meg Root, sales and marketing specialist for Baseline Solar.
According to information released by the Town of Blacksburg, the solar array “will generate approximately 90% of the energy used by the building for transit administration, vehicle maintenance and charging a fleet of up to 50 electric buses.”
“Since adopting its Climate Action Plan in 2016, the Town of Blacksburg has been eager to find a financially viable option to integrate solar into its operations and facilities,” said Carol Davis, sustainability manager for the Town of Blacksburg. “The Power Purchase Agreement model makes the solar project on Blacksburg Transit not just possible – but financially advantageous – ensuring significant savings on energy costs for the Town, while helping us meaningfully address our ambitious climate goals.”
According to the town, “the clean energy produced by BT’s facility solar system in its first year will also provide environmental benefits by avoiding 1,014 metric tons of carbon pollution. That avoided pollution is equal to emissions produced by 236 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles, or the carbon sequestered by 1,017 acres of U.S. forests, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.”
Under the terms of the PPA, Secure Solar Futures will own, operate and maintain the solar power system, and sell the energy to the Town of Blacksburg at a lower rate than the local electric utility. Blacksburg’s rates for solar power will be fixed for the 25-year period. Meanwhile, electric utility rates are projected to increase at 3% or more annually, thus creating savings.
“During the PPA period, Blacksburg will save approximately $2.2 million in net avoided costs for electricity,” the town announced. “After the conclusion of the PPA term, Blacksburg may opt to take ownership of the solar power system at a nominal cost, producing its own energy for the remainder of the equipment’s 35 to 40-year productive lifespan. Over 35 years, the system is expected to yield net savings in power costs of approximately $4.4 million.”
“Blacksburg is showing leadership in southwest Virginia, setting an example for this historic energy-producing region to tap into solar power to run some of its most energy-intensive services with zero emissions and cost savings to the taxpayer,” said Tony Smith, CEO of Secure Solar Futures. “But Blacksburg’s leadership extends further afield, providing a practical model for any locality that runs a transit system to transition to clean power.”
Construction is estimated to be complete by the end of the year.
Staff report
