Nonprofit Chimes' Roof Now Has 1,079 Solar Panels

Driving by the Terry Allen Perl Center on Milford Mill Road, you might not know that it has a special, renewable energy source.

But on the roof of the building that houses Chimes Maryland is a new, 1,079-solar panel energy system.

"The electricity provided by the solar panels will give Chimes another predictable, eco-friendly source of power," Martin Lampner, president and chief executive officer for Chimes, said in a news release. "Every dollar we save on electricity can be invested in serving people with disabilities."

The center is a key facility for Chimes, an organization that supports thousands of people who have disabilities six states including Maryland, as well as the District of Columbia and Israel, according to the release.

The center on Milford Mill Road houses the organization's vocational services, Liberty Club West and Supported Employment programs.

This rooftop energy source is the second phase of Chimes' Baltimore-area solar energy project.

In October, the group installed a 3,000-panel solar system that serves 60-70 percent of its 12-acre campus on Seton Drive, according to a release.

The organization estimates it will save $80,000 per year, now that both solar energy systems are in place.

Those systems will work in conjunction with the organization's completed weatherization projects, which include more energy-efficient light fixtures and appliances, and energy conservation practices to realize the savings, the release states.

The Milford Mill Road project was a joint effort between Chimes, Washington Gas Energy Services Inc. headquartered in Herndon, VA, and consulting firm Bithenergy of Baltimore City.

WGES financed and owns the solar energy system, and through a 20-year agreement, Chimes will purchase power from it.

"Bithenergy designed, engineered and constructed the system and will handle its ongoing operations and maintenance," according to the release.

The system at Milford Mill Road was activated during a ribbon cutting ceremony last week.