Howard County Solar Projects
Howard County government has implemented several solar projects including recent projects from the County’s solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The PPA projects will generate enough electricity to power more than 50 percent of County government operations while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and saving money.
Solar Power Purchase Agreement
In 2020, Howard County entered into the largest and most innovative solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in the state of Maryland. By aggregating rooftop, parking lot, and ground-mounted projects into one agreement, Howard County was able to meet multiple needs while keeping the cost of electricity down – even saving money from its already low group purchase rate. With the rising costs of electricity, the combined anticipated cost benefit to the County over the 25-year life of the contract is over $90 million.
The combined projects generate a monumental 36 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. This provides at least 50 percent of the County government’s electricity usage and provides a GHG emissions equivalent of taking nearly 6,000 cars off the road or planting 416,000 trees. The combined projects include eight installations on County properties, including two solar canopies over parking, numerous rooftop installations, and ground mounted projects on public and privately-owned sites.
Detailed data on the Solar PPA sites can be found in the Howard County Solar Dashboard. The dashboard provides overall usage data and you can dive into the specifics on each site.
Howard County won a National Association of Counties award for this innovative project in 2022. Innovations include using the solar PPA to fund the installation of 26 electric vehicle charging stations, installing solar panels over shared septic reserve fields, using shade-tolerant native plants under solar canopies to improve water quality and support pollinators, and “agrivoltaics” including sheep grazing under solar panels on farmland.
A power purchase agreement is extra beneficial because Howard County government did not have upfront construction costs. The projects were financed by our ongoing purchase of the clean energy created, and those rates are lower than what would have been paid for energy from the grid. Several of the projects were helped along by funding from Maryland Energy Administration, which contributed more than $1 million toward the installation costs of rooftop and carport solar projects on County properties.
For more information on the solar PPA, please see the following press releases and articles:
- Groundbreaking on Maryland’s Largest Solar Power Purchase Agreement in Howard County
- Betting the Farm on Solar Energy
- Exciting Solar Project Announced
Solar Projects
New Circuit Courthouse
Howard County’s new Circuit Courthouse in Ellicott City, MD receives nearly 60 percent of its power from the sun. This project helped the courthouse achieve LEED Gold status. It includes solar on both the roof and in a field adjacent to the courthouse. A native plant meadow for pollinators is planted under and around the ground-mounted solar array.
The arrays are 800 kW, with a combined annual generation of 1,117,041 kWh of electricity. That clean energy reduces GHG emissions equivalent to taking 186 cars off the road or planting more than 12,000 trees.
The project was completed in July 2022.
Find photos, video and the press release of the ribbon cutting ceremony here.
Find live updates on the solar generation of this project here.
Triple Creek Farm
This solar project contains ground-mount solar panels at a privately owned site that is located in West Friendship, MD. The solar arrays are mounted on single-axis trackers. This means that they change their position throughout the day to maximize the amount of sunlight reaching the panels and the amount of energy generated.
In total, the solar arrays installed at Triple Creek Farm have a capacity of nearly 8.6 megawatts and will generate approximately 13 million kWh per year of electricity. The solar array system will reduce GHG emissions equivalent to taking 2,150 cars off the road or planting nearly 150,000 trees.
The arrays were completed and began generating electricity in October 2022.
Triple Creek I live updates on solar energy generation.
Triple Creek II live updates on solar energy generation.
Triple Creek III live updates on solar energy generation.
Waterloo Fire Station
This is a solar rooftop project at the Waterloo Fire Station in Jessup, MD.
The solar arrays are 75 kW in size and will generate approximately 99,000 kWh per year of electricity. The solar panels will reduce GHG emissions equivalent to taking nearly 17 cars off the road or planting 1,140 trees.
The project was completed in March 2022.
Waterloo Fire Station live updates on solar energy generation.
Howard County Detention Center
Solar panels have been added to the roof of the Howard County Detention Center in Jessup, MD.
The solar panels have a capacity of 194 kW to generate approximately 252,000 kWh of electricity each year. The resulting clean energy from these solar panels can reduce GHG emissions equivalent to taking 42 cars off the road or planting more than 2,900 trees.
The project was completed in April 2023.
Howard County Detention Center live updates on solar energy generation.
Ulman Building (formerly Gateway Building)
This is a rooftop and carport solar project at the Ulman Building on Columbia Gateway Drive in Columbia, MD. Electric vehicle charging stations for the public, employees and County fleet have also been added to the parking lot. The solar canopies provide shade and shelter from rain and snow. The Ulman Building, with its Innovation Center, is the perfect location to showcase this dual use of parking lots to generate energy in addition to providing shaded space for cars.
The solar arrays are expected to generate approximately 1.2 million kWh per year of electricity. Combined the rooftop and carport arrays are 900 kW in size. These two arrays will reduce annual GHG emissions equivalent to taking 200 cars off the road or planting nearly 14,150 trees.
The project was completed in April 2023.
Ulman Building (Roof) live updates on solar energy generation.
Ulman Building (Carport) live updates on solar energy generation.
Scaggsville Public Safety Complex
This is a rooftop project on the Scaggsville Public Safety Complex located in Scaggsville, MD. The photo above is a digital rendering showing the planned location for the panels.
The solar arrays will be 188 kW in size and will generate approximately 250,600 kWh per year of electricity. The arrays will reduce GHG emissions equivalent to taking 42 cars off the road or planting nearly 2,900 trees.
This project was completed in March 2023.
Scaggsville Public Safety Complex live updates on solar energy generation.
Clear View Farm
This solar project, pictured above, consists of ground mount solar panels on a privately-owned site located in West Friendship, MD. To maximize agricultural value of the space, sheep grazing occurs under the panels. The sheep have shade and excellent grazing while they keep the vegetation from shading the solar panels. Sheep grazing under the panels began in 2024. Native pollinator habitat is also planted along the perimeter of the solar arrays.
Combined the solar arrays have approximately a 12.4 MW capacity and generate approximately 18 million kWh per year of electricity. The solar panels reduce GHG emissions equivalent to taking 2,990 cars off the road or planting more than 207,000 trees.
The project was completed in July 2023.
Live updates for Clear View projects:
East Columbia Library and the new East Columbia 50+ Center
This project includes rooftop solar on both the East Columbia Library (ECL) and the new East Columbia 50+ Center, as well as a solar carport and electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot. Trees removed from the parking islands will be replaced with new trees adjacent to the parking lot or in sections of the parking lot islands that won’t shade the solar panels.
The East Columbia Library rooftop solar arrays – shown above – are 166 kW in size and generate approximately 227,000 kWh of electricity per year. The library rooftop arrays were completed in June 2023.
East Columbia Library rooftop live updates on solar energy generation.
Solar panels have been installed on the East Columbia 50+ Center roof (shown above) and began generating electricity for the County in January 2025. The arrays have 38.25 kW DC capacity and are expected to generate approximately 55,293 kWh of electricity annually. The annual GHG emissions reductions will be equivalent to taking 208 cars off the road or planting nearly 15,000 trees.
East Columbia 50+ Center rooftop live updates on solar energy generation.
The solar carport and EV charging stations at the East Columbia Campus have been completed as of January 2025. The solar canopy is approximately 1 MW DC in size and is expected to generate 1,324,249 kWh each year. The annual GHG emissions reductions will be equivalent to taking 208 cars off the road or planting nearly 15,000 trees.
Another exciting aspect of this project is that Howard County will be planting a variety of native plants under the solar canopy to test which plants provide the best wildlife habitat and erosion control under these conditions. Species are being chosen carefully to maximize pollinator habitat value and visual appeal throughout the seasons, while also providing erosion control at the solar canopy drip lines. Information gained through this pilot project will be used to inform plantings under future solar canopies. Plantings under solar canopies also will benefit from less intense sunlight and a cooler microclimate, which can help benefit native plants as temperatures continue to rise over the decades. Planting will take place in Spring 2025.
East Columbia Campus solar canopy live updates on solar energy generation.
Other Solar Projects (Outside the PPA)
Robinson Nature Center
The James and Anne Robinson Nature Center is a nature education facility situated on 18 acres of park land adjacent to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area. Geothermal heating/air-conditioning, porous paving, solar panels, water conservation methods, native plant gardens and other features make this building a leader in sustainability. Build in 2010, this facility was certified a very impressive LEED Platinum in 2012. Robinson Nature Center’s sustainable and energy efficient design includes 169 solar panels with 40.5 kWh capacity.
Miller Library Branch, Ellicott City
The Miller Branch Library building has solar panels as part of its overall energy-efficient and green design. Designed to achieve LEED Silver Certification from the US Green Building Council, the green design includes 72 solar panels, a passive solar design which allows ample natural lighting, highly efficient HVAC and lighting, water conservation features and a green roof.
New Cut Road/Worthington Elementary School
Worthington Elementary School in Ellicott City receives nearly 90 percent of its electrical power from the sun. Many local partners including the County’s Department of Public Works, the Howard County Board of Education, the Maryland Energy Administration, the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority and others worked together to place about 2,000 solar panels on a former landfill next to Worthington Elementary. The students at Worthington use the solar panels as a real-life example of new technology and energy production for the future.
Howard Building and District Court
Solar panels were added during the renovation of the Howard Building and District Court building in Ellicott City. At the Howard Building the solar power “boosts” the water heating system. At the District Court, solar energy generates electricity used in the building. These projects reduce the amount of energy purchased, and serve as pilot projects to learn from.