Overview

PSE&G is a major gas and electric utility servicing much of New Jersey.  PSE&G is very progressive and consistently invests in renewable energy projects aimed at broadening its energy generating portfolio but also demonstrating its commitment to sustainability.  One such project is a solar array at the Hope Creek Nuclear Power Plant Processing Center in Hancocks Bridge, NJ.

Solution

ECS Energy partnered with GeoGenix LLC to design and install a 239.12 kW array using SunPower high efficiency modules and SunPower’s ballasted non-penetrating racking solution.  This project was quite unique from the standpoint that the solar array is on the rooftop of a nuclear power processing plant where the array can be seen in the foreground and a nuclear cooling tower can be seen in the background.  PSE&G is a proponent of solar energy and they recognize that solar energy is a vital part of any energy generating portfolio.  The array at the Hope Creek Processing Center offsets a significant portion of the building’s electrical power.

PSE&G views the solar capacity as a peaking unit since it only generates power during sunlight hours.  Coincidentally, the overall system demand is the highest during daylight hours especially during hot summer days with the sun high in the sky.  Thus, PSE&G and any customer who adopts solar, will get the highest rate of power production from the solar array during the hours when the power is needed the most.  It is during the mid-day profile where the real value of solar is apparent as solar can reduce a company’s peak demand profile which provides significant cost savings.

Benefits

The solar array at PSE&G’s Hope Creek Nuclear Power Plant Processing Center demonstrates PSE&G’s commitment to renewable energy technologies and its commitment to sustainability.