Abstract
To curtail its escalating power‐generation costs and follow through on its commitment to preserving the environment, New Jersey American Water (NJAW) installed a ground‐mounted dual‐array photovoltaic (PV) system at its Canal Road facility in late 2005. The solar PV system is the largest ground‐mounted system on the East Coast. About 15 percent of the plant's peak usage is supplemented by the system, reducing the amount of energy purchased from outside suppliers. The project is part of NJAW's aggressive energy‐reduction program to help reduce greenhouse gases, but the system is producing a new revenue stream through the sale of tradable solar‐specific Renewable Energy Credits that electric marketers must acquire to meet the New Jersey Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard. The article explains how the system converts sunlight into electricity, system design, construction details, operation and maintenance, and unexpected challenges that came up.
Published Version
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