Lower MUA to Assist Township in Solar Energy Projects

VILLAS — Lower Township and Lower Township Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) have begun a shared services agreement which includes MUA provide engineering services to place solar panels on a number of township-owned buildings.
Mayor Michael Beck said MUA has done a remarkable job installing solar panels at its headquarters. The agreement will allow the township to use the services of MUA Engineer Matt Ecker.
“We’re hoping to use their experience in order to finally get moving in Lower Township,” said Beck.
Whether the roof of the Public Safety Building is sound enough to support solar panel arrays is a question to be answered. MUA Executive Director Mike DeMarcantonio said the annual electric bill for the Lower Township Public Safety Building in 2008 was over $90,000.
The MUA Board of Commissioner approved the interlocal agreement with the township at its last meeting. Township Council approved the agreement by resolution Wed., Sept. 8
DeMarcantonio said a second solar project would begin construction on the MUA property in the near future.
“Since we have the experience, they asked if we would assist them,” he said.
DeMarcantonio said the township completed an energy audit in March, which included the township municipal building and annex, Recreation Center, Millman Center, Public Works Facility and the Public Safety Building.
He said the MUA would look at the locations and see how they relate to solar south, if it is possible to mount solar panels on the roofs, which will be inspected for repairs or replacement as well as rooftop air conditioning and ventilation systems.
After the assessment is complete, MUA will begin to talk with companies that offer Power Purchase Agreements (PPA), which would provide the township with solar panels at no cost and a low kilowatt-hour rate.
The mayor and township council would then review all the information, he said and a bid package would be prepared.
He said a PPA would work well for the township since it has no funding for solar panels and grants have dried up.
“We’re going to shoot for the moon and settle for something in between the earth and the moon,” said DeMarcantonio.
MUA awarded a second solar panel contract to Cambria Solar of Pleasantville in July. It estimates the panels will provide a cost savings on electricity supplied by Atlantic City Electric of $15,000 per month when the project is completed.
The contract is a PPA that includes a new 750 kW per hour solar power unit. MUA has been operating a 50 kW solar unit under a PPA agreement with Calvi Electric of Atlantic City since February 2010 and has been saving an average of $1,200 per month on electric bills.
The new 750 kW unit is similar to the 50 kW unit as MUA spent zero capital dollars for the construction of the units.