Marina Energy installs 3.5-MW solar facility in New Jersey resort

• Crystal Springs Resort has started commercial operations of the biggest resort-based solar farm in the Northeastern United States. Developed in partnership with New Jersey-based Marina Energy, the 25-acre, 3.5-MW solar area has over 19,000 solar panels.

Development of the solar farm aligns with other efforts taken by the Resort in pursuit of continuing environmental stewardship, for example its latest venture with Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) along with the New Jersey Audubon Society to create new habitat for bees, birds and butterflies on one of its six golf course properties. Crystal Springs Resort is also a part of the New Jersey Audubon Corporate Stewardship Council, which highlights voluntary environmental stewardship, sustainability, conservation partnerships and public education.

On a yearly basis, the solar farm offers renewable, clean energy that more than offsets electricity consumption in the Resort's 280-room Grand Cascades Lodge and 175-room Minerals Hotel combined. The project has qualified for net metering under New Jersey's solar system, so the resort always keeps a steady source of power distribution by drawing from the grid during the night and other low solar production periods while supplying surplus energy into the grid.

The solar area came online in September.

A large consideration driving this endeavor was that the Resort's need to place itself as an alternative for New York City organizations trying to decrease the ecological effect of their offsite meetings.

Besides taking steps to reduce its visitors' effect on the environment, the resort has also developed numerous offerings with topics of sustainability such as local farm tours, guided nature hikes, foraging classes and the building of beehives to encourage the rebuilding of the local bee population.