Solar Power Facility
Today, the Paulsboro Terminal is the home to one of the largest solar power facilities on the East Coast. Built with technology from BP Solar, the facility was constructed and commissioned in 2002. The facility generates an estimated 276,000 kilowatt-hours a year in clean electricity, supplying almost 25 percent of the power needed for environmental remediation at the site. This power helps to run the groundwater treatment plant and soil vapor extraction system located at the Terminal.
Solar power is silent, produces no emissions, and uses no fuel other than sunlight, making it the most environmentally-friendly method of power generation known. Photovoltaic devices, or solar cells, convert light directly into electricity. They are usually made of silicon, with traces of other elements. Silicon is the second most common element on the earth's surface and is non-toxic when used in solar modules. Since solar cells generate electricity from light and not heat, they actually operate more efficiently in cooler weather. They even work on cloudy days, although their output is diminished.
Solar power is probably the most economical power source today and is expected to grow rapidly over the next decade. It already has a wide range of uses: Weather stations, irrigation systems, remote clinics and schools, and telecommunications systems are just a few of the areas where solar power is being put to use.
The Paulsboro solar plant utilizes BP Solar's thin film Millenium® solar technology, in which silicon is applied to solar cells in very thin layers. It is located on the eastern side of the site and consists of 5,800 solar modules, which face toward the South, in order to take full advantage of the sun's rays. The modules have no moving or wearing parts, and require only an occasional cleaning in order to function properly. The direct current (DC) they produce is converted into alternating current (AC) by an inverter, which is directly connected to the power grid.
Reducing Emissions
The clean electricity generated by the Paulsboro plant equates to reducing emissions of:
- carbon dioxide by 571,000 lbs. per year
- sulfur dioxide by 1,600 lbs. per year
- nitrogen oxide by 1,100 lbs. per year.
