New Jersey’s Crystal Springs Resort has announced it has commenced commercial operations of the largest resort-based solar farm in the Northeastern United States. Developed in partnership with New Jersey based Marina Energy, the 25-acre solar field has more than 19,000 solar panels and has the annual capacity to generate 3.5 MW of electricity, which is more power than is consumed annually by the resort’s two hotels.

On an annual basis, the solar farm provides clean, renewable energy that more than offsets electricity consumption at 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 program, which means the Resort always maintains a stable source of electricity supply by drawing from the grid at night and other low solar generation periods, and provides excess energy to the grid after all resort consumption has been satisfied during the day.

With criticism mounting on the wastefulness of the conference and meetings industry, a large consideration driving this project was the Resort’s desire to position itself as a best option for New York City organizations seeking to reduce the environmental impact of their offsite meetings.

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