What is the University Park Community Solar LLC?    

The University Park (UP) Community Solar LLC is a limited liability corporation of Maryland residents that have just developed a solar power generation site in our community.

This centralized solar generation site is intended to produce sufficient kilowatt hours (kWh) to replace a significant amount of electricity otherwise purchased from the local  utility.  Clean solar electricity will substitute for fossil-generated  electricity and stabilize our electric rates.

How will the Solar LLC work?

Solar panels were installed on our host site, University Park Church of the Brethren , by an outside expert, Standard Solar, Inc. They will also maintain the panels.  With the proceeds from purchases of membership interests, the LLC bought the panels and paid for the installation.  The Church will purchase the power produced by the solar panels from the LLC.  The LLC will also sell to Standard Solar renewable energy certificates (RECs) earned from generating  renewable energy.  

What will the LLC members receive for their purchase of interest in UP Solar projects?

In addition to reducing our "carbon footprint", the members will be part of a project that preserves our environment for future generations, provides an investment model for other communities, and provides a wonderful learning opportunity for our children living in the neighborhood.   The revenues from the solar energy and RECs sales would go to maintaining the solar facility, operating costs such as insurance, and a return on capital to solar members.            

When were the solar panels installed on the roof of the Church of the Brethren? 

The first panel was installed on Wednesday, May 19, and the last panel on May 21.  A  dedication ceremony was held on June 12 at the church.  On July 22, Pepco installed a 240 volt/400 amp overhead cable from their system to the Church for us to harness the sunlight! 

State Senator Pinsky and Rushern Baker, candidate for Prince George's County Executive, take time to demonstrate their support for solar energy:     

What will the solar generation site include?  

Standard Solar, Inc. installed  made-in-America Sharp panels on the Church roof.  The 230-watt panels were made and assembled at Sharp’s Memphis, Tennessee plant.  The panels were connected to three inverters which change the DC power generated by the panels to AC power used by the Church.  Wires enclosed in a conduit were attached to the building circuit breaker box.  A computer is attached to the inverters to track the energy production and general performance of the system.  

The 21.9 kW solar power system is expected to generate 30,443 kWh a year.  (“kWh” means a kilowatt-hour, or the delivery of one-thousand watts of energy over one hour.)  This will provide most of the Church's electricity consumption.  

Why not a non-profit entity?

In exploring possible approaches to structuring our group, the organizing committee members determined: