Dec 17 2009
The Dayton Power and Light Company (DP&L) announced today plans to construct a 1.1 Megawatt solar array near its Yankee substation in Washington Township, Montgomery County, Ohio. Construction of the project will begin this month and is expected to be on line in March of 2010.
Artist rendering of visitor education kiosk
“This is one of our efforts to diversify our generation portfolio and support our compliance with Ohio’s renewable energy requirements,” said Paul Barbas, president and CEO, DP&L. “We will be learning from these installations, testing optimum configurations and studying the long-term impact solar could have in our area.”
When completed, the facility will consist of 9,000 solar panels constructed over 7 acres, and will generate enough electricity to power nearly 150 homes. The project is expected to cost approximately $5 million.
A visitor center to educate the public about solar power is planned as part of the installation. A solar array consists of many, interconnected solar cells, which in turn convert solar energy from the sun into electrical current.
DP&L’s Yankee solar facility will be constructed in partnership with a number of regional companies led by Ameridian Specialty Services of Cincinnati. Ameridian’s team includes Miller Valentine Commercial Construction of Dayton, Square D/Schneider Electric of West Chester, ESI Electric of Dayton, and Inovateus Solar of South Bend, Indiana.
As part of its commitment to the environment in the communities it serves, DP&L previously announced it would convert turf areas at some of the company’s substations to prairie grass. In 2009, the company prepared 70 acres throughout the Miami Valley for prairie planting. To date, 35 acres have been planted in Montgomery, Greene and Darke counties. The new, natural landscape helps to reduce noise and emissions caused by mowing, and provides a buffer between DP&L’s equipment and adjacent properties.