ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today joined Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) Superintendent Bill Barnes and Howard Community College (HCC) President Dr. Daria J. Willis to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enhance collaboration between the County, HCPSS, and HCC and strengthen local action on climate and sustainability. Photos from the event can be found on the County’s Flickr webpage and video on the County Executive’s Facebook page.
From signing the ‘We Are Still In’ declaration to becoming the first county to be certified as ‘LEED Platinum for Cities and Communities’ and launching our ambitious ‘Climate Forward: Climate Action and Resiliency Plan,’ we continue to initiate critical programs that allow us as a community to work together to preserve our environment and fight the climate crisis. Through this MOU, we are leveraging the strengths of our local partners to deploy clean energy sources and energy efficient improvements that are vital to securing Howard County’s energy independence, buffering against sudden and unpredictable cost increases, and advancing our economic stability, public health, prosperity, and quality of life for all.
The MOU provides a framework for the County, HCPSS, and HCC to collaborate on clean energy, transportation, waste management, stormwater, nature-based climate solutions, ecosystem services, emergency management, infrastructure and heat resiliency, education, and community engagement campaigns and programs.
I’m so pleased that the Howard County Public School System is able to be part of this joint venture. As we build and renovate schools in our district, we are constantly looking for ways to reduce energy costs and implement clean solutions. To leverage available real estate, such as the rooftops of our school buildings, to house solar panels that benefit Howard County is a no-brainer. I appreciate that close collaboration with the members of our Board of Education, County Executive Calvin Ball, and Howard Community College President Dr. Daria Willis, is the norm and I appreciate being part of this team.
“We are following Dr. Ball and the county’s lead in our commitment to environmental protection. We prioritize recycling, composting, and environmental preservation in our proximity to waterways and green habitats; all while opening our borders to corporate and civic partners who use the campus as a platform for their green programs and initiatives,” said HCC President Dr. Daria J. Willis. “Today's agreement will help HCC expand its solar paneling program to reduce our reliance on traditional energy sources to power operations across our teaching and learning functions. We are grateful for our partnership with the county, and our shared commitment to a healthy, sustainable future for all residents.”
Under the MOU, the trio have advanced their first collaboration with their recent selection of a solar provider to develop a solar power purchase agreement (PPA). Through this PPA, a solar provider will, at its sole expense, furnish photovoltaic solar projects, including installing and maintaining solar panels on County, HCPSS, and HCC properties. In exchange, it will sell the electricity generated at an affordable per kilowatt hour rate for the respective institutions. This new PPA will generate significant clean energy and cost savings for many years, all at no upfront cost to County taxpayers.
“The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) is proud to have funded numerous projects to reduce costs and boost clean energy use in Howard County,” said MEA Director Paul G. Pinsky. “Howard County’s vision for a greener and more sustainable future is one that can be replicated statewide, and we look forward to a continued partnership that further advances these goals.”
This solar PPA is the second launched by Ball’s administration. In 2020, Ball announced a solar PPA with KDC Solar, Inc. at no capital cost to the County and providing a total anticipated cost benefit of $30 million over the 25-year life of the contract. The largest solar PPA in Maryland, this agreement already generates a monumental 32,000,000 kilowatt-hours a year, which covers more than 50% percent of the County’s electricity usage and is the equivalent of taking 4,563 cars off the road. To date, this PPA has delivered 18 solar projects on County properties, including nine ground mounted arrays, seven rooftop solar systems, and two solar parking canopies. More information about this solar PPA, can be found on the County’s Live Green Howard's "Solar PPA" website.
Here's what others have to say:
- Tim Lattimer, Administrator, Office of Community Sustainability - “Partnering with HCPSS and HCC enables us to make further progress of the goals outlined in County Executive Ball’s ambitious Climate Forward Plan. Our Plan has set powerful goals to reduce our County’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) 60 percent by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions from all sources, public and private, by 2045. We are more than a third of the way to reaching our County’s goal of a 60 percent reduction in GHG emissions by 2030. Now, more than ever, strategic partnerships like this are vital to further achieve our goals and help ensure a livable climate and enhance the quality of life for all in Howard County.”
- Jennifer Swickard Mallo, Board of Education - “We can't just teach environmentalism, we have to practice what we preach. This joint venture moves us closer to aligning our operations with our values."
- Katherine Magruder, Executive Director of the Maryland Clean Energy Center - “In a time of evolving energy policies, it is more important than ever for local governments and institutions to lead the way in clean energy. Howard County’s leadership is setting a proactive example for other jurisdictions in the State. From large-scale solar projects to microgrids and electrification of public fleets, the Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) is committed to our partnership to support and facilitate the success of such transformative projects."
- Robin Dutta, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Solar and Storage Association (CHESSA) - “Howard County is leading by example by showing that what is good for the environment is also good for local services and the community. To-date, their work on developing and using solar energy is one every county should be replicating.”
- Lynn Heller, Founder and CEO, Climate Access Fund - “The Climate Access Fund’s vision of community-centered community solar is made possible by the partnership and investment of public, private, non-profit, and community-based organizations. It is this level of cooperation that makes community-based climate action an effective tool to counter the impact of the climate crisis.”