‘Great sign of things to come': Major rooftop solar project launches in Delaware

Delaware’s largest rooftop solar project is now online with state leaders hoping it marks a turning point for renewable energy across the state.

The massive rooftop installation at Delmarva Corrugated Packaging in Kent County is expected to generate about 30% of the company’s daily power needs, reducing costs and easing demand on the regional power grid.

The project comes as solar energy continues to grow nationwide.

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows solar generation increasing year over year while costs have dropped significantly over the past few decades.

Combined with improvements in battery storage, wind and solar now generate more than 17% of the country’s electricity.

In Dover, the nonprofit Energize Delaware is helping drive that momentum.

The group also operates solar-powered electric vehicle chargers that offer free and clean energy to drivers.

“It’s actually our largest investment in Kent County and it’s phenomenal work they’re doing,” Drew Slater of Energize Delaware said. “They built the building 30% more efficient than what a standard building would be and now they’ve added solar on top of it. It’s just furthering their own sustainability goals.”

The rooftop array itself spans about 10 acres — space that otherwise would have gone unused.

Advocates say rooftop solar offers an alternative to building arrays on open land, though challenges remain.

Large buildings often need to be constructed or retrofitted to support the weight of solar panels which has limited widespread adoption so far.

Still, as technology improves and costs continue to fall, more businesses and property owners may follow suit.

“I think it’s a great sign of things to come,” Slater said.

While projects like this won’t solve all of Delaware’s energy challenges, supporters say every addition helps — and this one is already making an impact.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.