Exelon Corporation is now “cashing in” on the warm summer sun since it built the nation’s largest urban solar power plant, Exelon City Solar, in Chicago.
Exelon City Solar was constructed on 41-acres of land that had previously been vacant for 30 years, and consists of 32,292 solar photovoltaic (PV), or solar electric, panels that convert the sun’s rays into energy. This translates to 14,000 megawatt-hours of energy a year. That’s enough energy to meet the needs of 1,500 homes.
The clean energy produced by Exelon City Solar works to displace more than 30 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year. That’s the same as taking 2,500 vehicles off the roads.
The solar power plant is part of “Exelon 2020”, Exelon Corporation’s plan to lower its carbon footprint by reducing, offsetting, or eliminating 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
However, reducing Exelon’s carbon footprint is not the only thing this power plant is doing. The construction of the $60 million solar power plant created 200 jobs in the Chicago area.
Exelon City Solar moves solar power plants to the mainstream by providing a visual example that large-scale solar energy is possible.
For more information about Exelon Corporation, visit the website.
For more information about other green building projects in the Chicago area, visit greenbeanchicago.com.
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