Regional Energy Hub Gets Powered Up
The Cumberland County Improvement Authority selected Constellation Energy, a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation for its public-private partnership known as Regional Energy Hub. This estimated $500 million project leverages technologies to generate alternative and surplus energy while reducing energy costs including Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling, food waste to energy, solar photovoltaics and an expansion of existing landfill gas-to-kilowatt energy operations.
Executive Director Gerard Velazquez, III, said the CCIA’s primary objectives are to create energy, recognize savings and significantly enhance the County’s regional grid capacity. He said the CNG fueling station expansion will also enable conversion of the County’s fleet from diesel and gas-powered to CNG-powered vehicles. “Among the efficiencies and benefits,” Velazquez explained, “will be our ability to greatly reduce County operating expenses while leveraging clean, American-made natural gas.”
Ability to greatly reduce County operating expenses while leveraging clean, American-made natural gas.
The solar photovoltaic and gas to energy components, in particular are planned to facilitate local and regional renewable energy options for adjacent municipalities and businesses. Velazquez pointed out that this project could result in the CCIA’s ability to not only provide enough energy to power the County’s entire Solid Waste Complex, but in the future generate added power to assist nearby county facilities and business partners.
“Sustainability investments and advances like these and other shared service and fleet management programs enable us to contribute more than $1 million annually to the County,” he summarized.