Pepco Energy Services, Inc. has reached agreement to design and construct a $2.3 million PV project for the Department of Energy at the Germantown, Maryland, campus. The project will be implemented under the U.S. General Services Administration's Utility Energy Services Contract with Pepco.

The 10-month construction project award, which began in October 2010, includes a 300 kW solar PV ground-mounted array and a 52 kW solar PV carport array with a Class II electric car charging station. Both the ground array and the carport array will be operational by July 2011.

This solar renewable power project uses monocrystalline PV modules manufactured by the Federal Prison Industries (FPI). FPI PV modules convert solar radiation into electricity through high-efficiency, state-of-the-art module design and components, and they are customized to the application. The FPI modules have a 25-year warranty.

Once installed, this project will produce significant renewable energy and reduce the Department of Energy's greenhouse gas emissions, according to Pepco. It will also effectively remove approximately 350 kW of energy demand off the grid daily when the system is at full design and operation.