DGS Media Contact
Washington, DC - The Department of General Services (DGS) proudly began their landmark solar initiative at Dunbar High School with the approval and commencement of operations of a solar array on December 27, 2013. After extensive efforts over past months by teams within DGS and energy company Constellation, and in coordination with Pepco, Dunbar High School is now the first school in the District of Columbia to receive energy produced from solar panels with a fully commissioned 463 kW (DC) rooftop solar installation, the largest rooftop solar power system on a single building in the District.
“Bringing solar to the District’s portfolio is a big step forward in the Agency’s strategic effort to lower costs, reduce risk, and decarbonize energy supply - and it goes a long way to support the Mayor’s vision of a Sustainable DC,” said the Director of the Department of General Services, Brian Hanlon. In 2014, DGS plans a wave of large-scale rooftop solar installations and a continuation of aggressive efforts to reduce energy costs through greater energy efficiency.
“Constellation is proud to support the District of Columbia’s commitment to renewable energy,” said Brendon Quinlivan, director, solar sales Constellation. “The solar installation at Dunbar High School is a great example of how public-private partnerships continue to advance the development of clean, distributed generation resources. In addition, through the use of renewable energy certificates, the project helps the District to maintain the high school building’s LEED certification while furthering the operation and development of renewable energy facilities.”Comprised of 1,940 solar photovoltaic panels, the Constellation solar power system is expected to generate approximately 543,287 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year (based on first year production), which is roughly 20 percent of Dunbar High School’s annual estimated electricity needs. Constellation financed, owns and operates the solar power system while the electricity generated by the system is purchased by the District of Columbia Department of General Services under a 20-year power purchase agreement with Constellation. As part of the power purchase agreement, Constellation will supply Green-e® Energy certified renewable energy certificates for more than 10 years to help support Dunbar High School’s LEED building requirements. Pepco provides the interconnection with the local electricity grid for the solar power system.
DGS’s Energy & Sustainability Division is creating one of the most efficient and sustainable portfolios of real estate in the United States, ultimately saving DC taxpayers $100M over the next decade. During 2014, the Division’s focus is to reduce costs while de-risking and de-carbonizing energy supply, increase recycling rates in DCPS and promoting forward-looking urbanism that improves health outcomes for city residents.
The Department of General Services
About Constellation
Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC) is the nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with 2012 revenues of approximately $23.5 billion. Headquartered in Chicago, Exelon has operations and business activities in 47 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. Exelon is one of the largest competitive US power generators, with approximately 35,000 megawatts of owned capacity comprising one of the nation’s cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company’s Constellation business unit provides energy products and services to approximately 100,000 business and public sector customers and approximately 1 million residential customers. Exelon’s utilities deliver electricity and natural gas to more than 6.6 million customers in central Maryland (BGE), northern Illinois (ComEd) and southeastern Pennsylvania (PECO).
Follow DGS on Twitter at @DCDGS - Facebook at facebook.com/dcdgs - Visit DGS at dgs.dc.gov