DFC Solar Park

In 2004, Colorado voters passed Amendment 37 establishing a renewable energy standard for large electrical utilities. This standard gave GSA the opportunity to build its first photovoltaic electrical generating facility, propelling the DFC towards its overall vision of becoming the most sustainable campus by 2020. GSA completed this project on January 4, 2008, providing the campus with nearly 10% of its peak power demand.

The DFC Solar Park is a ground mounted array consisting of 6,192 solar panels that are positioned on steel support structures. The panels occupy six-acres on the campus north side which previously was considered a brownfield. The park is rated at 1.176 megawatts and is visible to more than 100,000 daily commuters.

The $6.9 M design and construction cost will be paid back in 14 years through selling the generated renewable energy credits, making the park a prominent example of a large scale photovoltaic system with a successful renewable energy financing model.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• photovoltaic system
• renewable energy
• solar
• solar park
• solar panel
• solar array