Continental Electrical Construction Company , an electrical contractor specializing in electrical construction and renewables, recently installed Solar Modules and Battery Storage at North Central College.

The 57,700 square foot project included the following technologies:

    • Array consists of 1,632 – 330 watt solar modules totaling 538,560 watts. The 1,632 PV modules are consolidated into (16)-30kW inverters that convert the DC power to AC power.  These inverters then tie directly into the building’s electrical distribution system and offset the energy they purchase from the utility.
    • Battery storage consists of a 250kW/125kWh container mounted on the roof. The 250kW/125kWh Energy Storage System (ESS) installed participates in the PJM (grid operator) wholesale energy market by providing grid stabilization through a service called frequency regulation.
    • Solar array will produce about 660,000 kWh per year.  This is equal to offsetting 464 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, taking 98 cars off the road for one year, or enough to power 49 homes for one year.
    • The battery will participate in PJM’s Frequency Regulation market to generate revenue for the College and help stabilize the grid.

The project began in Fall 2016 and is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2016.