Destination Clean Energy: Denver International Airport Dedicates 4.4 MW of Solar Power from Constellation Energy
More than 8 Megawatts of Solar Now Supplies 6 Percent of DIA's Total
Electricity Needs
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG) and Denver International Airport (DIA)
today announced the completion of a 4.4-megawatt, ground-mounted solar
power system. Constellation Energy built, owns and maintains the solar
installation, and DIA will purchase the electricity produced by the
system over a 20-year period. It is the third large-scale solar project
for DIA, bringing the airport's total amount of hosted solar power to
more than 8 megawatts — the most solar generation at a commercial
airport in the United States.
Constellation Energy's 4.4-megawatt solar installation for Denver International Airport (DIA) will generate approximately 7,000 megawatt-hours of electricity annually. It is the third large-scale solar project for DIA, bringing the airport's total amount of hosted solar power to more than 8 megawatts - the most solar generation at a commercial airport in the United States. (Photo: Business Wire)
In honor of the solar project's completion, a celebration and
ribbon-cutting were held today at DIA. Business and community leaders,
as well as representatives from state and local government were on hand
for the event, including Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, former
Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock.
"With the addition of this solar facility, Denver International
Airport's three solar array systems now produce approximately six
percent of the airport's total power requirements," said Kim Day,
aviation manager for DIA. "We support alternative energy applications at
DIA because these projects are good for the environment while positively
impacting our bottom line; they are financially sustainable. This
airport was built with a goal of being green, and with this additional
solar array, Denver International Airport now has one of the largest
solar installations in North America."
The system is expected to supply approximately 7,000 megawatt-hours of
electricity to DIA each year, utilizing approximately 19,000 Yingli
Solar photovoltaic panels. Generating the same amount of electricity
using non-renewable sources would result in the release of more than
5,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, according to U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency data.
"Constellation Energy congratulates DIA for its continued commitment to
clean energy," said Michael D. Smith, senior vice president of green
initiatives for Constellation Energy's retail business. "Thanks to the
shared commitment of federal, state and local government, along with
private business, more businesses are able to rely on solar power to
achieve environmental goals and control electricity costs. Constellation
Energy thanks the public and private partners who worked with us in
bringing this newest solar installation online for DIA."
Denver-based solar development firm Oak Leaf Energy Partners originally
developed the project; its third at DIA. Oak Leaf has developed 27
commercial and utility scale solar projects in Colorado, totaling over
35 megawatts of production. Quanta Services (NYSE:PWR) Intermountain
Electric, which installed and manages DIA's 2 MW and 1.6 MW solar
facilities, installed the 4.4 MW project. Yingli Green Energy (NYSE:
YGE) supplied the photovoltaic panels for the project.
Constellation Energy currently owns and operates approximately 95
megawatts of solar
installations that have been completed or are under construction for
customers throughout the United States. By structuring its solar
projects as power purchase agreements, Constellation Energy requires no
upfront capital from its customers and is able to provide power at a
fixed cost that is less than projected market rates.
Commercial customers, universities, school systems, hospitals and
government agencies interested in on-site solar installations of 1
megawatt or larger may contact Constellation Energy at sustainable-solutions@constellation.com
or 1-877-427-2005.
To watch a brief video about Constellation Energy's solar power systems,
please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyaXDmgM55M.
About Constellation Energy
Constellation Energy (www.constellation.com)
is a leading competitive supplier of power, natural gas and energy
products and services for homes and businesses across the continental
United States. It owns a diversified fleet of generating units, totaling
approximately 12,000 megawatts of generating capacity, and is a leading
advocate for clean, environmentally sustainable energy sources, such as
solar power and nuclear energy. The company delivers electricity and
natural gas through the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), its
regulated utility in Central Maryland. A FORTUNE 500 company
headquartered in Baltimore, Constellation Energy had revenues of $14.3
billion in 2010.
About Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport is the world's 10th-busiest airport and the
fifth-busiest airport in the United States. With 50 million passengers
traveling through the airport each year, DIA is one of the busiest
airline hubs in the world's largest aviation market. DIA is the primary
economic engine of the state of Colorado, generating more than $22
billion for the region annually. For more information, visit www.flydenver.com.
About Oak Leaf Energy Partners
Oak Leaf Energy Partners is a full service turnkey developer of solar PV
plants. The firm was started in 2006 and has been among the most active
solar developers in Colorado, with over 30 MW of projects completed to
date. Oak Leaf has developed and financed solar projects in Colorado
(Belmar, DIA, Denver Public Schools, Colorado Convention Center), New
York, New Jersey, PA and Ohio.
About Quanta Services and Intermountain Electric
Quanta
Services (NYSE: PWR) is a leading specialized contracting services
company, delivering infrastructure solutions for the electric power,
pipeline infrastructure and telecommunication industries. The company's
comprehensive services include designing, installing, repairing and
maintaining network infrastructure nationwide. Intermountain Electric,
Inc. (IME), a wholly owned subsidiary of Quanta Services, Inc., was
founded in 1946 and is the market leader in electrical construction
service and solutions for commercial, industrial and renewable energy
customers. With a vast array of resources, IME provides clients with a
trusted avenue for all electrical construction needs. IME has
constructed all three large-scale solar PV projects at Denver
International Airport and over 15 Megawatts of solar PV systems across
the country. For more information: www.imelect.com
or www.quantaservices.com.
About Yingli Green Energy
Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (NYSE: YGE), which markets
its products under the brand "Yingli Solar," is a leading solar energy
company and one of the world's largest vertically integrated
photovoltaic manufacturers. Yingli Green Energy's manufacturing covers
the entire photovoltaic value chain, from the production of polysilicon
through ingot casting and wafering, to solar cell production and module
assembly. Currently, Yingli Green Energy maintains a balanced vertically
integrated production capacity of over 1 GW per year. Two capacity
expansion projects of 600 MW and 100 MW are under construction in
Baoding and Hainan, respectively, which are expected to start initial
production in the middle of 2011 and will increase the Company's total
nameplate capacity to 1.7 GW in late 2011. In addition, Yingli Green
Energy's in-house polysilicon plant, Fine Silicon, which has a designed
annual production capacity of 3,000 metric tons, has successfully
started commercial operation in early August 2010. Yingli Green Energy
distributes its photovoltaic modules to a wide range of markets,
including Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, South Korea, China and
the United States. Headquartered in Baoding, China, Yingli Green Energy
has more than 11,000 employees and more than 10 subsidiaries and branch
offices worldwide. Yingli Green Energy is publicly listed on the New
York Stock Exchange (NYSE: YGE). For more information, please visit http://www.yinglisolar.com.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6809796〈=en
Constellation Energy
Kelly Biemer, 410-470-7433
kelly.biemer@constellation.com
or
DIA
Laura
Coale, 303-342-2270
laura.coale@flydenver.com
Source: Constellation Energy
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