solar power richmond va
Rec Solar Products Solar growth Us
San Luis Obispo, California-based REC Solar, one of the fastest growing providers nationwide solar energy for residential and commercial network tied photovoltaic solar energy systems, recently announced the acquisition of a contract with the U.S. Department Veterans Affairs, or VA – a division of the Department of Defense (DoD) – to build 1.7 megawatts of solar capacity in federally owned buildings in California, Arizona and Nevada.
Founded in 1997, and over a dozen offices in six states (AZ, CA, CO, HI, OR and NJ), REC Solar is one of only a handful of companies solar energy in california, whose engineers are certified by the North American Council of Certified Energy Practitioners.
The systems when completed, will represent the largest solar energy systems in the VA network, amounting to 1 296 buildings dedicated to veteran's health, education, welfare, training and other social support systems for veterans of the nation's 24.5 million, nearly 10 million of whom are 65 years or more.
Ending of the 1.7 megawatts is planned for spring 2010 and will create over 60 jobs during its construction. When completed, but also prevent 1.2 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year (by removing much of generation from coal and fuel combustion plants fossil energy). This is equivalent to preserve more than a quarter of an acre of pine forest, planting 31 trees a year, or the prevention of burning of 139 gallons of gasoline annually.
The amount of electricity, 2.1 megawatts per hour, would power 3600 homes and is, according to REC Solar CEO Angiolo Laviziano a direct result of the solutions of turnkey solar energy company, which offer the VA the opportunity to purchase solar energy through a standard General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule. The GSA's financial management and auditing arm of the federal government.
Facilities solar, for Palo Alto, Fresno, Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, and Tucson, Ariz., and Reno, Nevada, will save the VA system more than $ 175,000 a year in electric utility costs, a combination of roof, floor clothes, garage facilities on the basis of AE-7000 U.S. REC Series modules solar, combining top quality with long life, reliable performance. The systems also will be equipped with Satcon investors, and supervised by the Energy Recommerce Inc.
REC Solar, whose phenomenal growth (20 employees in 2005 to nearly 500 in 2009) is largely due to the company's reputation for quality and service, 1700 installed systems this year, but it is not enough, according Laviziano, who says the solar industry as a whole is not in conflict for lack of space (the desert Mojave though), but because of lack of understanding of the newly defined parameters of photovoltaic solar energy itself.
According Laviziano the Most people who consider solar are still stuck in the 1990 paradigm of solar prohibitively expensive, low efficiency rates (10 percent or less), and maturities half a century.
This is no longer so, thanks to the stimulus package and credits at the federal, state and even regional level, the falling cost of solar energy itself ($ 7 per watt installed, the less incentive, or about.25 cents per kilowatt hour, to.15 cents compared to conventional generation, including taxes and pass-through shares), and the possibility of leasing solar for those who still can not afford the initial costs.
Solar panels are planned for four affordable housing communities in California to provide cheap electricity to residents low income.
In total, the solar panels generate 790 kilowatts, or 1.1 megawatt-hours of electricity. Three of the communities for energy San Francisco's solar and one is in Richmond, a city north of Berkeley.
The systems will be financed by the power purchase agreements, which have become popular among homeowners and businesses looking to install solar panels, but concerned about the upfront costs. Under a PPA, private facilities or municipalities pay the initial cost of solar and receive payment over an extended period of time. Berkeley was the first city to have a PPP program, homeowners involved to pay the costs of solar energy system through a property tax assessment of 20 years.
The PPAs provide for four affordable housing projects will be provided by the Real Goods Solar, a solar installation private. Residents of the four communities pay for electricity generated by the solar panels at lower prices than they pay for conventional electricity.
Solar systems "are produced at low cost energy in the coming decades, "said Real Goods Solar President John Schaeffer.
Children’s Museum of Richmond – Sun Tubes Exhibit
