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Frederick County Jail Installing Solar Panels

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) -- A jail in Maryland's Frederick County is installing solar panels that will be used to heat water for the facility.

The Frederick News-Post reports the project at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center is being paid for almost entirely by a grant from the Department of Energy. The cost of the project is about $266,000. The system is expected to save about $10,000 in annual operating costs by reducing natural gas consumption. In addition, the system is expected to bring in at least $40,000 per year in renewable energy credits.

The system is being installed by Millersville-based Solar Energy Services.

The jail, built in 1984, is one of the county's largest users of hot water. The system is expected to heat more than 2,500 gallons of water every day.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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