The largest privately-owned, net-metered solar project in the country is coming to New Jersey. Publishing and financial company McGraw-Hill has teamed with New Jersey Resources’ Clean Energy Ventures to plan the project, which will have the potential to produce 14.1 megawatts of power.

The project “will significantly offset the need for other energy sources to run McGraw-Hill's offices in East Windsor, N.J.,” according to a June 13 press release. The annual energy output will be 18 million kWh, eliminating over 12,500 metric tons of carbon emissions, the press release said. Energy produced will do the equivalent of reducing McGraw-Hill’s carbon emissions by 10 percent.

Under the agreement, New Jersey Resources will invest $60 million for the project, spokesperson Michael Kinney said.

“NJR will own the system, will build the system and will contract out the installation,” Kinney said.

Jason Feuchtwanger, McGraw-Hill’s director of corporate media relations, said the company’s project was part of a larger push for green energy.

“We’re very excited about the plans to benefit from solar energy in East Windsor,” Feuchtwanger said. “Green energy is a focus of the company, and our announcement today underscores our commitment to green, sustainable business practices.”

The system is expected to function at half-capacity starting at the end of this year, and be fully operational by March 2012.

The company’s Clean Energy Ventures will develop and install the state-of-the-art, ground mount solar array on 50 acres of McGraw-Hill property adjacent to its office buildings, including McGraw-Hill’s immense 180,000 square foot data center.

The system will be installed by New Jersey installers Advanced Solar Products, with assistance from MVM Advisors of New York. A ballasted racking system, manufactured in New Jersey, will be used. It requires no ground penetrations, making it more environmentally-friendly.

McGraw-Hill has been ranked on the 2010 Dow Jones Sustainability Index and was ranked 64th out of 500 in Newsweek’s Green Rankings in 2009.

“Our plan to use solar power underscores our commitment to green, sustainable business practices,” said Harold McGraw III, Chairman, President and CEO of McGraw-Hill. “We are excited by the environmental benefits of using solar energy while helping us control costs, and we're thrilled to once again have a fantastic partner in the East Windsor community, which has served as a focal point of our operations for nearly five decades.”

A Rutgers University estimate said the project could create about 300 jobs in the East Windsor area. Jobs related to the solar installation will be non-permanent, but others like maintenance will be permanent, Kinney said.

Image courtesy of NJ.com.