Burkholder’s Market, located near Millheim at 107 Market Drive in Spring Mills, is joining the ranks of businesses using solar power to generate electricity for its operation.
Construction has begun of a large carport equipped with 1,242 SunPower 470-watt solar panels producing almost 600 kilowatts of power. The carport will provide covered parking for the store’s customers, and will also contain two electric car-charging stations that will offer free usage for anyone.
Store owner Russ Burkholder said the solar cells and carport design are being supplied by SunPower, a leading company in the solar electric field. The installation is being performed by SunDirected, a State College firm specializing in solar electric installations.
Burkholder expects the solar cells to provide 65 to 70 percent of the store’s electrical needs. Any overproduction on sunny days will send power back to the grid to be used by the surrounding community. It’s a grid-tied system with no onsite storage of power.
The carport will consist of three segments: two are 300 feet long and one is 150 feet long. Segments are each about 40 feet wide, creating about 150 parking stalls under the carport. The carport is a cantilevered metal structure tilted about five degrees to the south for maximum solar exposure. An integral channel is built in to drain away rain and melted snow through underground pipes.
Burkholder’s carport is funded in part by a Rural Energy for America Grant. This was a competitive grant that Burkholder’s applied for and won. When complete, it will become the largest privately owned solar carport in Pennsylvania. Burkholder said he anticipates this investment to pay off in about nine years, and it could save the market more than $1.4 million over 25 years.
Construction has begun with the drilling and concreting of massive piers to support the solar superstructure. A second construction stage will begin early in 2019, with the actual construction and installation of the carport and solar panels.
“We are excited to be one of the few grocery retailers in Pennsylvania offering our customers parking protection from the sun, rain, and snow while generating clean electricity for our business and community at the same time,” said Burkholder.
