Tonawanda, NY – Montante Solar in Tonawanda, NY recently energized a 450 kW solar array at 303 Woodward Avenue. The system will support of Erie County’s energy usage throughout various government buildings.
According to Montante Solar, the project will produce approximately 550,000 kWh a year and eliminates an estimated 9,700 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere over the course of its lifetime, which is approximately 25 years.
The project includes 1,200 ground mounted solar panels. The solar panels are bifacial which means they produce electrical energy when illuminated on both its surfaces, front, and rear. They also pick up reflective light which helps boost production in the winter when the ground is covered in reflective white snow.
In addition to creating clean solar power to offset municipal needs, the solar array also repurposes a brownfield property. In lieu of letting land sit unused, the County rehabilitated contaminated land and put it to productive use.
“We are proud to play a role in Erie County’s efforts to become more sustainable,” said Katie Soscia, business development director at Montante Solar. “Not only is the County taking steps to become more energy efficient, they also reactivated a piece of land that would have otherwise been left vacant.”
“Erie County is harnessing the power of the sun with the new solar array at Woodward Avenue, all while lessening the county’s carbon footprint and showing the way to a cleaner county in the future,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Working with Montante Solar made this possible, as a former brownfield site is now enjoying new life as a big part of the energy picture for Erie County buildings and offices.”
Montante Solar was awarded the project in 2019 through a competitive RFP process facilitated by Erie County. The County entered into a Power Purchase agreement, which means the County purchases the power the array produces.