Greenskies finishes 137-kW solar array at water treatment plant

Solar Power World | Billy Ludt
May 23, 2019

Greenskies Renewable Energy, a Clean Focus company, completed a 137-kW solar array in Sprague, Connecticut, which will generate solar electricity for the Sprague wastewater treatment plant. Located on adjacent property, the solar project will provide 80% of the power needed at the plant. Greenskies designed and installed a fixed tilt ground mounted system with 378 Neo Solar Power PV panels.

“Solar projects at municipal water treatment plants help local governments such as Sprague meet their sustainability and cost reduction goals,” said Catherine A. Osten, first selectman of Sprague. “I am excited that this project is complete and Greenskies has been a great partner in this project.”

Greenskies Renewable Energy completed its latest wastewater treatment plant solar project in Connecticut with a 137-kW array for the town of Sprague. Greenskies Renewable Energy

Wastewater treatment plants can be the largest electricity consumers in a municipality, with it comprising as much as 40% of the total operating costs for wastewater plants. According to the United States EPA (LINK), as much as 4% of all energy use in the United States goes to public drinking water and wastewater services.

Greenskies has expanded its municipal solar portfolio into one of the largest in the Northeast. As a partner for many Connecticut municipal solar projects, Greenskies currently operates solar installations for more than 1/3 of all the towns in Connecticut. In addition to the Sprague project, Greenskies also completed solar projects for Middletown and Ledyard’s wastewater treatment plants.

Greenskies Renewable Energy will own, operate, and maintain the solar array under a twenty-year PPA.

“We are pleased to help municipalities reduce electricity costs to meet budget goals and serve their constituents,” said Stanley Chin, president and CEO of Greenskies and Clean Focus Group. “We look forward to a long relationship with the town of Sprague over the lifetime of the project. We will provide the plant with leading-edge technology and service to help the project operate at peak performance and deliver maximum savings.”