The Scarborough Public Library installed solar panels for two separate projects. Photovoltaic (PV) panels were installed on the rooftop to generate electricity for the library, and an Electric Vehicle Photovoltaic (EVPV) charging station, also with solar panels, was built for electric vehicles.
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The solar panels were primarily paid for through town appropriation (i.e., Scarborough tax payers). However, we're not really paying for the panels, but rather the electricity created by the panels. This is part of our Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) whereby we pay Revision Energy a set price for the electricity generated by the panels for the first 7 years. After that time we could either buy the panels outright (at an already agreed to amortized price) or continue paying Revision for the electricity. We'll evaluate the economics and viability of each choice at that time.
ReVision Energy is a full service renewable energy contracting company that provides a full range of engineering, design, installation and equipment service for homes, businesses, municipal buildings and nonprofits. Since 2003, they have installed more than 5,000 solar energy systems in Maine and New Hampshire.
86 solar panels were installed for the rooftop PV system, and 4 for the EVPV station.
The rooftop system is 26.23 kilowatts, with a production estimate of 30,029 kilowatt hours/year. This is roughly 20% of the library’s annual load. Rooftop PV panels will reduce 31,500 pounds of CO2 emissions annually.
The charging station is 1.22 kilowatts, with a production of 1,300 kilowatt hours/year. When not being used to charge vehicles, the electricity from the station can be used by the library. This will reduce an additional 1,350 pounds of CO2 annually, for a combined reduction of 32,850 pounds of CO2.
No, there is no cost to charge an electric vehicle. The four solar panels will provide enough electricity for 5,000 miles of driving annually.
It depends on the vehicle, size of the battery, and the remaining charge in the battery. Most electric vehicles will charge anywhere from 4-10 hours.