By early 2011, nine city halls in Prince George’s County, M.D., will get a percentage of their power from photovoltaic (PV) installations, thanks to a DOE grant and an idea sparked by a local police sergeant. Already seven of the nine city halls that participated have installed systems ranging from about 14 kilowatts to 20 kWs in size. Combined, the PV installations on the buildings should save about $30,000 annually in electric costs.

“When you deal with nine different mayors and nine city councils [it can be difficult to please everyone],” said James Flynn, the Bladensburg Police Department criminal investigations division sergeant who came up with the project and is coordinating it. He said that the chosen contractor, Standard Solar Inc., was very good at addressing each municipality's concerns and needs.

The PV systems are net-metered, Flynn explained, allowing the county to reduce its grid-supplied electric use and to sell back excess energy under Maryland’s net-metering rule. In addition to the energy savings expected annually, the city halls also own the renewable energy credits associated with the systems, which are being sold through a broker, according to Flynn. The Gazette reported that the credits are expected to bring in about $58,000 annually, and that money will be distributed between the municipalities or go to a scholarship fund.

The systems were funded through $1 million of the $6.5 million Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant awarded to Prince George’s County through the DOE and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Flynn said he talked with Dr. Mow-Soung Cheng, assistant associate director at the Department of Environmental Resources of Prince George's County, who was able to include the fund request in the county’s grant application.

Already, the city halls of Bladensburg, Brentwood, Colmar Manor, Cottage City, Glenarden, Mount Ranier and North Brentwood have PV systems providing at least part of their electric needs.

“There are two more systems to be completed. Seat Pleasant’s will start operating in mid to late December and Forest Heights’ should be done by end of February,” Flynn said. “I’d like to complete it by March, so the reporting is easier.”

And not only was the installation easy, but the systems are easy on the eye.

“I will tell you that Blandensburg’s came out extremely well,” he said. “But Mount Rainier’s is probably the prettiest.”

Pictured: The Bladensburg municipal solar project, courtesy of Sergeant James Flynn.