Maryland's fledgling campaign to develop renewable power got a twin boost Monday, as Constellation Energy said it would take over construction of a 70-megawatt wind farm in Garrett County and another company unveiled plans for the state's largest solar array in Charles County.

Baltimore-based Constellation said it has agreed to acquire the $140 million Criterion wind project from Clipper Windpower Inc., which had proposed putting 28 tall turbines atop Backbone Mountain near Oakland. It was the first of three commercial-scale wind projects to win state approval under a 2007 law meant to promote wind energy development in Maryland.

Meanwhile, CPV Renewable Energy Co., with headquarters in Silver Spring, plans a 10-megawatt "solar farm" near Waldorf, to be built alongside an already proposed natural gas-burning power plant.

Of the two, the wind project is closer to fruition, because it has already received needed state approvals.... [continue via Web link]