Green Energy Partners Announces Plans for $800M Green Hybrid Energy Park

Leesburg, Va, February 27, 2009 – Loudoun County-based Green Energy Partners announced plans today to build an environmentally friendly green energy generating park that will work towards making Loudoun County energy independent.

Green Energy Partners has filed a proposal with Loudoun County government to approve an approximately $800 million hybrid energy park that would use treated waste water from the Town of Leesburg sewage treatment plant, clean natural gas and a proposed solar array to secure Loudoun County’s energy independence and provide the region with a green energy alternative.

“I’m excited to begin a cooperative process with Loudoun County,” said Green Energy Partners Managing Partner John Andrews. “We have an opportunity here to work together to create the cleanest, greenest energy park of its type in the country.

“We are proposing a clean and safe alternative to coal and nuclear power at a time when the nation is looking for clean energy alternatives. We’re trying to think outside of the box, and in doing so we’re proposing to use waste water effluent in the production of electrical energy.”

At present, nuclear and coal comprise 90 percent of Virginia’s power sources according to the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research. Virginia imports 20 percent of its needed energy and Loudoun imports 100 percent.

Green Energy Partners will be seeking a memorandum of agreement with the Town of Leesburg to purchase sewer treatment plant effluent that the Town currently discharges into the Potomac River. Green Energy Partners is also seeking a special exception and a commission permit from Loudoun County to construct the hybrid energy park.

The proposed location is ideal, Andrews said, as it would be neighbors of Loudoun Water and Luck Stone Quarry. The proposed energy park is located in Loudoun’s Transition Policy Area, which calls for protection of the quarry from residential uses and spatial transition from suburban and rural areas of the county.

“A facility of this type needs to be located where there is access to natural gas and the electricity grid,” Andrews said. “We believe this project is harmonious with the planned surrounding uses.”

The proposed site contains two existing natural gas lines and existing transmission lines. There is no need to construct more transmission lines for this park to supply energy to Loudoun County. The park can supply the reliable energy to secure the clean high-tech economic development companies in Loudoun County. The use of clean domestic natural gas will decrease our dependence on foreign oil that is used in diesel fuel by energy plants, Andrews said.

If approved, the project will provide a green energy source, contributing to the region’s escalating needs for new energy. Specifically, Green Energy Partners is proposing that the park include a 600 megawatt base load combined cycle natural gas facility incorporating a waste water steam turbine generator, two 150 megawatt simple cycle peak power clean natural gas turbines and a 1 megawatt solar array. The hybrid facility will use up to 5 million gallons per day of waste water effluent for cooling water in the plant. This will eliminate two billion gallons of sewage treatment plant effluent per year from being discharged into the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.

The excess steam and chilled water produced by the facility is proposed to be used to heat and cool several million square feet of data centers and other buildings eliminating conventional units in individual buildings. This type of green energy solution is being used throughout Europe, Andrews said.

“The benefit from this facility provides a unique opportunity to design the next generation of green data centers and office parks,” Andrews said.

The approximate $800 million hybrid energy park, when fully operational, would bring Loudoun County tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue. Green Energy Partners is currently undertaking a fiscal impact study to determine the specific net-benefit for the county.

“At a time when the local, state, national and international economies are suffering, and tax bills and energy costs are rising, the world is focused on green energy alternatives. This project will serve as an energy resource and economic catalyst to Loudoun County,” Andrews said.

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