News Flash

Project Will Save Money and Reduce Carbon Footprint

DURHAM, N.C. – Beginning this week, the first solar electric array on the co-shared Durham Fire and EMS Station 17 is now converting sunlight to electricity.

The Station 17, located at 5502 Leesville Road, is now home to a 46 KW array composed of 172 solar panels at 270 watts per panel, which are attached to the metal roof of the station. The array will generate approximately 60,000 kWh of electricity annually, which is about 60% of the facility’s annual consumption. It will produce a savings of approximately $5,518 per year, paying for itself in about 12 years, and will result in an annual reduction of 42.4 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, or the equivalent of 4,774 gallons of gasoline.

“This project is a great example of our City’s commitment to renewable energy and environmental sustainability,” said Assistant Director Jina Propst with the City’s General Services Department. “We look forward to the environmental benefits and cost savings that this project will provide for years to come.”

The project was installed by a partnership of GreenPower NC and Southern Solar Systems, Inc. It cost $84,150, which will be partially offset by a rebate of $28,732 from Duke Energy for a net cost of $55,418.

The City’s 2018 Roadmap to Sustainability aims for the City to achieve carbon neutrality in City operations by 2040. A resolution passed by the City Council in May 2019 calls on City operations to use 80% renewable energy by 2030, and 100% renewable energy by 2050.

For more information about the City’s sustainability and energy management efforts, visit the City’s General Services Department webpage, or contact Sustainability & Energy Analyst Paul Cameron at (919) 560-4197, ext. 21244 or [email protected].

About the City of Durham General Services Department

The General Services Department builds and maintains City properties to make Durham a great place for people to live, work, and play. Guided by the City’s Strategic Plan, the department’s core functions include the acquisition and sale of properties, design and management of new construction and renovation projects, building maintenance, landscaping and urban forestry services, cemeteries management, sustainability and energy management, cultural and public art program management, and supporting the nonprofit Keep Durham Beautiful.