Energy Production

Atwood

Sunny skies over Baltimore
The Office of Sustainable Energy is turning Baltimore into a source of local energy production. Baltimore has 1 MW of solar photovoltaic at Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). In 2014, this site produced 1.3 million kWh of electricity. There are 10 MW additional capability that will be sited for City government use starting in 2015.

Combined Heat and Power
Back River WWTP serves over 1.3 million residents in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Beyond the solar, the plant has a 2 MW combined heat and power system that provides an average of 15 percent of the electric needed at Back River WWTP and captures heat to supplement the plant. The engines use biogas containing high levels of methane created by the digesters at the WWTP. This gas would otherwise be flared without any benefit.

The City used an Energy Performance Contract (see Energy Reduction) to finance the project – with net savings of over $3 million over the life of the contract.

Learn more about CHP from the US Department of Energy: http://www.energy.gov/eere/amo/combined-heat-and-power-basics

Learn more about solar photovoltaic technologies from the US Department of Energy: http://energy.gov/eere/energybasics/articles/photovoltaic-technology-basics