Solar Decathlon
Solar Panels Help Power New Pepco Substation
Care for the environment is an important part of PHI’s Blueprint for the Future and now it can also be seen at the new Pepco substation in Washington, D.C., located at the intersection of New York and Florida avenues, in the Northeast quadrant of the city. Resting atop the substation are 48 solar panels, each of which can produce 210 watts, or roughly 10kW of power. And while that is not enough to supply all the power needs of the substation, it will definitely reduce the amount of conventional power it uses—and that equates to emissions reductions.
The site is ideal for effective solar panel utilization. According to Stephen Anthony, a Pepco engineer who has been actively involved in the project, “The large, flat roof surface and unobstructed view of the sun made it an ideal choice for the panels.”
The panels were mounted to face south for greater efficiency, and as an added bonus, they require little maintenance, and rainfall is usually enough to keep the panels adequately clean.
“This is in keeping with PHI’s commitment to lessen our carbon footprint, and it is one of the many steps we are taking and will continue to take to achieve that goal,” said Barbara Gonzalez, the project lead for Pepco, who is involved in many of PHI’s proactive environmental initiatives.
