Fire Station - A Green Power Generation Station
Union City's new fire station No. 1 is the first fire station in Georgia (and one of very few in the nation) to be designed from the ground up to take advantage of solar power. Kenneth B. Collins, fire chief, said that when the project architects, Brown Design Group, recommended solar, the reaction was mixed. Now, after more than a year of significant energy savings, everyone is enthusiastic about the decision. "The electric bills for the new 9,200-square-foot station No. 1 are running $195 to $235 a month," said Collins. Monthly bills for station No. 2 are $500 to $600 per month, and it's a smaller 6,000-square-foot structure. We estimate that we're saving approximately $5,600 per year in energy costs by going solar," he continued.
"Do-it-yourself" Green Energy
Just about everything about this Union City firehouse is designed for energy efficiency - from well-insulated walls and ceilings to low energy lighting and appliances. But the real stars of this energy show are the solar panels that generate green energy at the station. "We installed both photovoltaic panels to generate power and a closed loop glycol system to heat our water," Collins explained. Doug Akin, Georgia Power's Green Energy product manager, worked with Collins and the architects to determine how the energy from the new solar power station would be used. While this was a first for Union City's Fire Department, it was also a first for Georgia Power. The fire station was Georgia Power's first customer to participate in the solar buyback provision of the RNR-2 tariff. Here's how it works: Georgia Power buys all the solar energy the station generates and puts that green energy onto the overall power grid. The station, in turn, buys all its power from Georgia Power. The green power Georgia Power purchases is shown as a credit on the station's monthly bills. The result is reliable power at a significant overall cost savings while also helping the environment.
Low maintenance and high value
In terms of maintenance for the solar system, Collins said, "We don't have to do a thing. It was a very simple process to wire the solar panels together in a series, so it would be easy to replace one if we needed to. But the panels we have now should last between 20 and 30 years." What's the bottom line on using solar in fire station No.1? "It's been very beneficial for the city," said Collins, who has been chief for five years and has more than 25 years of experience in public safety. "Energy costs being the way they are, it's going to be even more important in the future to find ways to be more efficient." The project has been so successful that the fire department is already planning to use solar for its upcoming fire station No. 3. "We will be looking at even more solar features, such as a radiant floor heating system, for the new fire house," Collins said. When station No. 1 opened last year, it was recognized for its progressive energy systems by Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue. In a letter to the department, he said, "I am proud of Union City fire station No.1. As the first solar-powered fire station in
Georgia, you have made a huge commitment to the environment and to energy conservation. We hope this will be one of many."
