Wednesday, August 19, 2009

System Installed by SPG Solar Benefits the Community

Wilson Elementary School in Phoenix, Ariz., has become one of the first schools in Arizona to install a solar system. SPG Solar, Inc., with offices in Tucson, Ariz., was chosen to design and install an 80 kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) system.

SPG Solar collaborated closely with Wilson School District to install a solar system that would fit their specific needs. SPG Solar designed a solar system that adjusts to the tilt of the roof. The building was reroofed and over 300 Kyocera solar panels were installed.

SPG Solar worked with school administrators and scheduled construction and installation around the school's schedule to ensure that their students were not disrupted.

"The solar panels on our school are something that we take pride in," says Antonio Sanchez, Superintendent, Wilson School District. "The students, their families and the community will all benefit from it."

The roof-mounted 80 kW system produces over 108,014 kWh per year providing energy during peak hours of the day, when electricity loads and prices are at the highest. The solar system requires minimal maintenance, runs silently, and has an expected operating life of over 25 years.

"As both a resident of Fairfax and part of the SPG Solar team, I am very proud to see the Town embrace environmental stewardship and deploy solar with an intelligent, cost-effective strategy," says Ted Walsh, Director of Commercial Development. "The Town managers carefully examined all the possibilities, and made an investment that financially and environmentally benefits the Town immediately as well as for the next generation. This type of social leadership is what makes Fairfax such a unique and remarkable place."

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Wilson School District solar system will produce enough electricity to power 269 Phoenix homes for one year and reduce greenhouse gases by about 1,939 metric tons over the system's life. This is equivalent to removing 355 passenger vehicles from Phoenix's highways. Electricity generated by solar does not consume or pollute water or air during operation.

"Wilson School District is not only seeing the financial benefits of going solar but realizing the environmental and social advantages as well," says Thomas Rooney, CEO of SPG Solar. "The school, its students and the community are learning about renewable energy and its importance to their lives now and in the future."

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