The Gardens

page pg_standard.xsl Solar_Field

Solar Power Is Blooming

More about Solar at Longwood Gardens:

• Longwood Gardens has made an institutional commitment to install 3 MW (megawatts) of solar energy by 2018. Once completed, it will provide 100% of Longwood’s electrical needs on a sunny day. 

• Phase 1 (1.2 MW) of the solar project is installed, and an additional 0.3 MW will be installed in the coming weeks, for a total output of 1.5 MW.

• The project is being funded in part with a $1.3 million grant, PA Green Energy Works! using federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds, and a $500,000 Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP)  grant. In addition, EcogySolar and Longwood Gardens provided additional funding. 

• Longwood Gardens’ 1.5 MW solar field will provide 2 million kWh (kilowatt hours) per year representing 28% of Longwood’s current annual electrical energy need.

• Phase 1 will be grid-tied and produce enough electricity to offset the usage from approximately 138 average PA homes.

• 90% of this 10.7-acre solar project was made in the USA.

• Motech Americas in Newark, Delaware supplied the fixed-tilt solar modules on 10.7 acres of Longwood property in Phase 1.

• Longwood Gardens is partnering with two leading solar energy firms, groSolar and EcogySolar to initiate Phase 1 through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). With the PPA, EcogySolar owns the solar equipment and will sell the power produced to Longwood Gardens.

• The completed solar field will be one of the largest examples of clean emission-free energy in the region; and will reduce Longwood’s annual carbon dioxide emissions by 1,367 tons.

• Longwood is committed to maintaining the beauty of the landscape and will plant a variety of native meadow grasses and other plant material in the solar field for aesthetic purposes.

• Longwood Gardens recently established its Eco-footprint, which has provided a quantitative measure of Longwood’s environmental and energy inputs/outputs. We will use the Eco-footprint measures to develop strategies to reduce demand-side energy consumption, reduce waste and enhance water conservation.