Solar Panel Installations

Recipient: Transportation, Delaware Department of

Funding Agency: Federal Transit Administration

Grant Amount: $1,500,000

Local Amount: $1,500,000

Grant Description: The project focuses on retrofitting Delaware Transit Corporation facilities with solar panels, which generate costs savings through fossil fuel energy reductions.

The solar panels are comprised of photovoltaic cells, comprised of ultra-thin layers of silicone. When sunlight strikes the surface of the cell, an electrical field is created resulting in a flow of electricity. Once installed, solar energy is captured by the photovoltaic modules, then converted from direct current (DC) power to alternating current (AC) power, and finally used to power lighting, computers, air conditioning, and other electric loads in the building.

The environmental benefits of integrating solar energy within the facilities are: Annual reduction of approximately 367,000 pounds in carbon dioxide (CO2); The annual equivalent of removing approximately 31 automobiles from our highways; The annual equivalent of 1,236 acres of trees.

The investment in solar energy will return dividends based on the reduction in annual building usage of kilowatt hours of purchased electricity. The return on investment of the reduction in energy consumption will be approximately $91,222 per year with a full payback on the system in 15 years.

Project Description: The grant focuses on retrofitting Delaware Transit Corporation facilities with solar panels, which generate costs savings through fossil fuel energy reductions. The environmental benefits of integrating solar energy within the facilities are annual reduction of approximately 367,000 pounds in carbon dioxide (CO2). The investment in solar energy will return dividends based on the reduction in annual building usage of kilowatt hours of purchased electricity.

Job Creation: This grant is anticipated to fund jobs to produce the solar panels, and to install the solar panels on the buildings. Indirect jobs are anticipated in providing transportation for the solar panels from production to the site of installation.

Infrastructure rationale: The grant focuses on retrofitting Delaware Transit Corporation facilities with solar panels, which generate costs savings through fossil fuel energy reductions. This grant will allow the agency to reduce annual building usage of kilowatt hours of purchas