A second photo voltaic undertaking set up for SEPTA meets 20% of the transit authority’s electrical energy wants with clear electrical energy.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) introduced the profitable business scale operation of its second photo voltaic undertaking constructed by Lightsource bp in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Situated in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, about 180 miles west of SEPTA’s Philadelphia headquarters, the 25 MW Elk Hill Photo voltaic 1 farm is considered one of two utility-scale photo voltaic farms that the transit authority is partnering with Lightsource to develop, bringing of their mixed statewide operational photo voltaic property. to 42 MW, sufficient clear vitality to satisfy about 20% of SEPTA’s electrical energy wants.
Elk Hill Photo voltaic 1, developed below an influence buy settlement between SEPTA and Lightsource bp, will cut back greenhouse fuel emissions by greater than 28,000 metric tons of CO2 per yr. The photo voltaic farm additionally helps Pennsylvania’s clear vitality objectives, serving to to decrease carbon emissions whereas diversifying the state’s vitality portfolio and rising vitality safety with regionally generated electrical energy.
The Philadelphia metropolitan transit company’s different photo voltaic undertaking, 17.5 MW Elk Hill Photo voltaic 2, entered COD operations in February 2021. In keeping with a Federal Vitality Regulatory Fee discover from April, the Elk Hill photo voltaic initiatives didn’t that’s relevant as a result of Elk Hill Photo voltaic 1 is being investigated below Sec. 206 of the Federal Energy Act for potential fee schedule irregularities.
Elk Hill Photo voltaic 1 is absolutely funded by Lightsource bp and undertaking traders with an estimated $25 million funding within the state’s vitality infrastructure. The undertaking additionally created 100 jobs in the course of the development of the ability.
Below the biodiversity and land administration motion plan, Elk Hill Photo voltaic 1 was put in to maximise sustainability advantages by means of the creation of an agrivoltaic habitat and co-located agriculture to farm the land whereas additionally utilizing photo voltaic vitality. .
The land below and across the photo voltaic panels shall be planted with grazing and pollinator-friendly groundcover, together with native wildflowers and clover species. Lightsource bp has partnered with a neighborhood farmer on a plan to graze sheep to handle vegetation across the Elk Hill undertaking.
In April 2020, SEPTA launched an intensive sustainability report known as the ‘SEP-TAINABLE Annual Report for 2020’ outlining long-term local weather change mitigation objectives within the Philadelphia area. Initiatives taken by the authority embrace:
- Signing of digital energy buy agreements for 35 MW of solar energy to be developed in Franklin County, PA.
- Commissioning of two rooftop solar energy installations, producing greater than 500 MWh of unpolluted vitality to this point.
- Introducing 25 battery electrical (EV) buses, one of many largest zero-emission transit fleets in the US.
- Development progress on vitality effectivity renovation of SEPTA headquarters.
- The completion of an eight-acre stormwater administration undertaking, practically doubled SEPTA’s acreage of inexperienced property.
- Recertification of two upkeep services below the ISO 14001 normal for environmental administration.
- Host farmers’ markets at eight SEPTA properties to advertise the provision of recent, wholesome meals in service communities.
SEPTA plans for a full transition to zero-emission buses (ZEBs) by 2040 and in the course of the 2020 sustainability plan briefing outlined a grasp plan that will spend $1.09 billion on future bus purchases from 2022 to 2033. , with the second section from 2024 onwards calling for electrical and gasoline cell electrical buses.
Progress on the authority’s transition to battery-electric buses has been undermined by public media station WHYY reporting in mid-2021 SEPTA is sidelining a 25-bus fleet. of the all-electric Proterra as a result of an alleged cracked chassis defect.
In February 2022, SEPA signed an order with Canadian bus producer New Flyer of America for 220 Xcelsior hybrid electrical buses.
A hotbed for pure fuel with 21.8% of the nation’s fuel reserves situated underground based on the Vitality Data Administration (EIA), Pennsylvania at present ranks twenty fourth within the nation for photo voltaic growth, with 1 GW installations till September 30. In keeping with the Photo voltaic Vitality Industries Affiliation (SEIA), the Keystone State ranks 14th within the US primarily based on a robust 3.09 GW growth pipeline for the following 5 years.
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