Southern Energy Management

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October 6, 2010 - Installation is getting underway for a 104 kW photovoltaic system on the campus of Eastern Mennonite University.Southern Energy Management (SEM) announced today that it has signed an agreement to install a solar photovoltaic (PV) array on the roof of Eastern Mennonite University's main library in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The system, scheduled for installation in October and November, will have the capacity to generate 104 kilowatts of electricity, making it the largest solar project in Virginia. The project was organized in partnership with Secure Futures, LLC, a solar energy developer based in Staunton, Virginia. EMU has entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement with Secure Futures to buy the solar-generated electricity at "grid-parity" pricing, which means it will benefit from clean energy without paying any more than it currently pays for electricity to Harrisonburg Electric Commission. "This solar project represents good stewardship of the university's financial resources and the Earth's natural resources," said EMU President Loren Swartzendruber. "It will also offer a highly visible case study for our students and our community about the pragmatic benefits of clean, renewable energy," he added. When SEM completes the installation on the roof of EMU's Hartzler Library of more than 300 high-efficiency PV panels, which are manufactured by SunPower, the rooftop array will be the largest deployment to date of solar power in the Commonwealth of Virginia. According to the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME), the state's current largest solar project is the 84 kW PV installation at the Merrifield Post Office in Northern Virginia. "We're excited to continue expanding our reach into Virginia, where - working with partners like EMU and Secure Futures - we're able to help achieve some of the same milestones we've been a part of here in North Carolina over the years," said Blair Kendall, business development director with SEM. "Just a few years ago, we designed and installed a 104-kilowatt system similar to the EMU project at the North Carolina Zoo, and it was the largest system on record at the time. Today, we're installing solar arrays that are 10 times that size for clients like the City of Raleigh, and we believe with the right support in place, Virginia will be in a strong position to join the ranks as a leader in sustainable energy." "This is exactly the kind of project we want to encourage across the Commonwealth to move toward a sustainable energy future," said Ken Jurman, renewable energy manager for the DMME. Using economic stimulus funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, DMME awarded an incentive grant for the project. As part of the innovative business model, EMU has agreed to pay in advance for 10 years of the guaranteed solar electricity output at the outset of the project, which reduces project financing costs. In return, Secure Futures will pass savings back to EMU as an annual credit. "EMU is demonstrating that solar power represents a good financial and social investment - doing good and doing well," said Secure Futures CEO Dr.

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