The Washington County Library solar energy system is a 15.6 kW (kilowatt) DC system with 52 SolarWorld 300 watt solar panels. This will provide about 70% of the energy that the facility uses in an average year, and the value of the power produced is $2,176 annually.

This system is just a little bit larger than the system that would be required to power an average US home. Because 94% of the electricity in our area is produced by burning coal, which releases CO2 and other pollutants, this solar power system will save the release of 17 tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2, the primary global warming greenhouse gas) into the atmosphere every year, which is the equivalent to the annual output of 3.5 average American cars.