Issues & AdvocacyIssues & Advocacy

Federal Grant to Save County Money through Solar Panel Installation
By Stephanie Spear, Manager, Codes Advocacy

Frederick County (Md) is using money it received from a 2009 Department of Energy grant to refit the roof of its Adult Detention Center with solar panels to heat water. The county is splitting the grant money between the solar project and another project within the county. Over time, the improvements at the Detention Center are estimated to save the county $10,000 in energy costs per year and generate $40,000 per year in Solar Renewable Energy Credits.

A similar project was launched at four prisons in California last year, and is the result of a partnership between California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and SunEdison. It is estimated that the project will save $57 million over 20 years.

Both of these stories are examples of local governments working with federal programs and private partners to bring renewable energies into their communities

To read more about the California project, click here.

To read more about the Fredrick County (Md) project, click here.

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