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August 2011
Solar Panels Are Sprouting Everywhere
Solar Panels are sprouting everywhere. Here are just a few of the installations described in McIlvaine’s Renewable Energy Updates.
Chevrolet is harnessing the power of the sun to install solar-powered electric charging stations for its Volts at dealerships in North America. The Green Zone initiative will generate electricity equivalent to 12 full vehicle charges per day and excess electricity created will help supplement the dealership's power needs.
American Chevrolet in Modesto, Calif., and Al Serra Auto Plaza in Grand Blanc, Mich., are the first U.S. dealerships to complete their solar charging capability by installing Green Zones on their property. "The question isn't whether to install a solar canopy, it's where and how many," said Joe Serra, president of Serra Automotive.
The Chevy Green Zone Initiative is part of GM Ventures' recent announcement to invest $7.5 million in Sunlogics, a solar panel manufacturing and development company that will supply the panels and install the dealer charging stations. Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) and Matrix Development Group cut the ribbon on a new rooftop solar installation at a Matrix-owned building in South Brunswick, NJ. The 3.0-megawatt (MW) project is part of PSE&G's Solar 4 All™ program, the utility's flagship solar effort to help New Jersey reach its solar energy goals while creating jobs and fostering economic development. Solar 4 All™ is a nationally recognized program that will over three years develop 80 solar megawatts – enough power to serve about 13,000 average-sized New Jersey homes. The program is structured so the financial benefits – the value of the solar credits (SRECs), federal tax credits and the sale of the solar energy and capacity– are returned to customers by offsetting the overall cost of the program. In addition to the South Brunswick site, Matrix also hosts a 2.8-megawatt solar system in Perth Amboy that has been in service since January 2011. Both Matrix projects are part of the "centralized" half of Solar 4 All™ – PSE&G owns and maintains the grid-connected solar systems and leases the roof space from Matrix. The solar system is comprised of 12,684 crystalline solar panels. The panels cover more than 318,000 square feet of roof space in total and are connected directly to the electric grid for the benefit of all PSE&G electric customers. They will produce enough solar electricity to power about 500 average-size homes. In addition to the two Matrix sites, PSE&G has built solar systems at five Newark schools totaling 2.7 MW and a 1.7 MW solar system on a CenterPoint Properties warehouse in Bayonne. PSE&G has also installed solar systems at it own facilities – a 0.9 MW system at its Central Division Headquarters in Somerset, NJ and a 0.7 MW system at its Edison Training and Development Center, which includes roof, ground, carport and pole-attached installations. Independent Energy Solutions, Inc. (IES), a leading solar energy development and construction firm, announced completion and "powering-up" of a 213 kW (dc) solar electric (photovoltaic) carport / shade structure installation at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in 29 Palms, California. The large-scale system is capable of generating about 312,000 kilowatt-hours of clean, green electricity annually while providing shade and cover for parked cars. The new largest solar installation in a U.S. national park features high-performance solar panels from SolarWorld in roof-mount, parking-canopy and wall-mount systems at Yosemite National Park Showcasing the work of U.S. tradesmen and factories, the 672-kilowatt project at the park’s administrative and maintenance center comprises a 500-kilowatt parking canopy offering cover for center employees and visitors; a 100-kilowatt roof-mount system atop a warehouse; and a 72-kilowatt system on a sloped wall of an office building. The park estimates the solar installation will supply about 12 percent of the park’s total power consumption. Somerset Tire Service, Inc. (STS), the largest independent tire and automotive service company in the Northeast US, has installed a one megawatt DC solar electric (photovoltaic) system on the roof its distribution center in Bridgewater, NJ. The solar array includes 5,488 185-watt solar modules manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric and installed by Advanced Solar Products (ASP). The system, which uses solar modules with 100-percent lead-free solder, is estimated to produce 1,197 MWh of electricity per year, nearly eliminating the company’s power bill and output of greenhouse gases. Since going live in early April the system has surpassed its expected production of electricity. The project is financed in part by the federal renewable energy treasury grant, and the sale of New Jersey solar renewable energy credits (SRECs), which will be generated by the system over 15 years. Visitors to Arizona State University’s (ASU) Tempe campus soon will be shaded when parking in a lot adjacent to Sun Devil Stadium by an innovative, patent-pending solar structure design that generates 2.1 megawatts (MW) of electricity. This groundbreaking solar installation project marks the first partnership between ASU and NRG Solar, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc. which is expanding its portfolio of solar renewable energy projects in Arizona. The 5.25-acre PowerParasol™ design will cover 800 covered parking spaces in lot 59, the university’s largest blacktop surface parking lot adjacent to Packard Stadium. Within the 25-year, $10.5-million agreement, NRG will own and operate the PowerParasol™, and in exchange, ASU will pay flat electricity rates during the term. Within three to four years, the university should experience reduced electricity rates. The initial PowerParasol™ project is the vision of Arizona-based Strategic Solar Energy, LLC. Construction on the structure is slated to begin in mid-August, 2011 and to be completed before the end of 2011. In addition to shaded parking, the 24-foot-high PowerParasol™ also provides nighttime lighting for better security and allows some natural light to shine through, creating areas for landscaping and a comfortable, functional environment. Cell phone antennas, security cameras, and vehicle electrical charging stations also can be incorporated into the PowerParasol™ design. For more information on Renewable Energy Projects and Update please visit:
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