Powering Communities Through Clean Energy Access: Dorsey Run Solar
Community solar is a powerful tool for expanding access to clean energy. It allows individuals, families, and businesses to benefit from solar power without installing panels on their own property. Through shared solar projects, participants can subscribe to a portion of a local solar farm and receive credits on their utility bills for the energy produced. This model is especially valuable for renters and low-to-moderate income households, making clean energy more accessible. By lowering financial and logistical barriers, community solar helps democratize renewable energy and accelerates the transition to a more sustainable future.
In Maryland, GS Power Partners (GSPP) has partnered with Black Bear Energy to develop Dorsey Run Solar, a rooftop community solar array hosted on an industrial building and owned by an account managed by Principal Asset Management.
Dorsey Run, located in Jessup, Maryland, serves residents in the Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) service area. It generates enough clean energy to prevent an estimated 703 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually, contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable future. Neighborhood Sun is GSPP’s community solar subscription management partner.
Trusted Collaboration
Dorsey Run Solar is a key milestone in GSPP’s growth. As the company’s first project in Maryland, it marks over 8 megawatts (MW) of installed solar capacity in collaboration with Black Bear Energy. The project also reflects the strength of GSPP’s long-term partnership with Neighborhood Sun and reinforces our commitment to a collaborative business model – one that brings together developers, EPCs, investors, and off-takers to build a resilient, interconnected grid.
“Finding partners who can grow with us while providing value to our community solar subscribers is critical to our mission,” explained Amanda Zurla, GSPP’s Chief Development Officer. “We found those attributes in Black Bear and Neighborhood Sun. While expanding our presence in the state of Maryland and the Northeast region, we will continue to deliver the economic and environmental benefits of solar energy for decades to come.”
Expanding access to clean energy for all — regardless of housing type or income — remains a core mission for GSPP, and the Dorsey Run Solar project stands as a symbol of this commitment.
Meeting Maryland’s Energy Goals
Maryland has made a rigorous commitment to renewable energy; the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Program was established in 2004 to gradually increase the amount of renewable energy that suppliers must obtain from sources like wind or solar. The program aims to harness the benefits of renewable energy, including economic growth, environmental protection, fuel diversity, and energy security without compromising reliability or affordability during the transition.
Since then, the state has quadrupled its energy storage capabilities with plans to reach 50% renewable energy by 2030. By 2040, 100% of its energy generation must come from renewables. Community solar is an important part of reaching these goals.
Maryland’s Community Solar Pilot Program, launched in 2015, laid the foundation for expanding equitable access to clean energy across the state. Designed to serve households unable to install rooftop solar, particularly renters and those in multi-family housing, the program created a framework for shared solar projects that deliver bill savings and environmental benefits to subscribers. In 2023, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation to make the community solar program permanent, removing the cap on total capacity and streamlining access for low- and moderate-income (LMI) participants. This policy shift reinforces the state’s commitment to inclusive energy solutions and paves the way for long-term investment in distributed solar infrastructure, helping developers like GS Power Partners bring more clean, affordable energy to the communities that need it most.
Read the press release announcing Dorsey Run here.