TIMONIUM, Md. — The Maryland State Fair & Agricultural Society, Inc., after extensive research and evaluation, has decided to go solar. Members of the Management Team and Board of Directors reviewed solar opportunities for the Fairgrounds from a half dozen companies and unanimously selected the local Baltimore County company SolarGaines to install solar panels on the Cow Palace roof as well as the Sheep, Swine, and Goat Barn roof.
“SolarGaines is estimating that, based on our current rate, the cumulative electricity savings on the Maryland State Fairgrounds over the initial 15-year period would be substantial,” said Chairman of the Board Gerry L. Brewster. “Obviously, these savings are tremendously important to the future financial well-being of the Maryland State Fairgrounds.”
The partnership with SolarGaines will include the installation of a weather station to capture temperature, irradiance, humidity, precipitation, pressure, and wind. The monitoring display and kiosk software, which promotes the Fairgrounds’ adoption of solar energy to help educate the public on how to reduce their carbon footprint, aligns with the educational mission of the Maryland State Fair & Agricultural Society, Inc.
“This great opportunity is just one example of the progress that the Maryland State Fair & Agricultural Society, Inc. is making to improve our stewardship of the environment,” added Brewster.
Among other Maryland State Fairgrounds environmental stewardship projects completed or underway are: Exhibition Hall roof replacement with addition of high efficiency HVAC units; Exterior and interior lighting/motion detector replacement with energy-saving LED lights; The Cow Palace insulation project thanks to funding in the Capital Budget from Governor Hogan and the State Legislature; A storm water management project; The tree planting initiative that will continue as funding and/or donations permit, which has replaced the Racetrack Paddock concrete with a large American Elm tree and grass and replaced seven areas of asphalt with trees; Annual physical and material support of our neighborhood’s Earth Day Clean-Up event of woods and streams north of our main campus; and, recycling and composting projects.
“We are proud of all that the Maryland State Fair Staff and Board of Directors have accomplished to date,” said Maryland State Fair & Agricultural Society General Manager Andy Cashman. “We will continue to strive to make the Maryland State Fairgrounds the best it can possibly be for our two million annual visitors, neighboring communities, elected officials, and the citizens of our great State of Maryland.”
–Maryland State Fair