Solar-power system to be installed at Patriot Place

Baltimore Constellation Energy Wednesday announced that its subsidiary, Constellation Energy’s Projects & Services Group, will construct a photovoltaic power system that will generate approximately 525 kilowatts of clean, renewable solar power at Patriot Place, the 1.3 million-sq.-ft. entertainment, retail and dining destination adjacent to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

The system will supply approximately 30% of Patriot Place’s power and span seven building rooftops at the complex. Construction, expected to begin in late October, will include the installation of approximately 2,800 crystalline photovoltaic panels.

“In addition to this project being an important contribution to Patriot Place’s overall sustainability initiatives, we are proud that its visibility will help promote practical and cost-effective commercial applications of solar power,” said Brian Earley, general manager, Patriot Place.

It is estimated that the system will generate more than 12 million kilowatt-hours of electricity over 20 years, and will prevent the release of more than 8,800 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The system’s real-time power output and performance can be monitored through a Web-based data acquisition system.

Under a 20-year power purchase agreement, Constellation Energy‘s Projects & Services Group will own the energy assets and sell the electricity it generates on site to Patriot Place.

Patriot Place, which began opening in phases in 2008, was constructed using sustainable design practices, including low-emitting construction materials and white roofs to facilitate heat island reduction. Patriot Place also employs an on-site wastewater re-use system that saves millions of gallons of water annually, and solar-powered trash receptacles throughout the complex reduce waste volume and energy consumption.