The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by PSE&G executives, local elected officials and dignitaries, representatives from the solar panel supplier and the solar developer responsible for building the system.
Designed, engineered and deployed by Manasquan, N.J.-based Solis Partners, the system utilizes a combination of U.S.-made SolarWorld flat, glass-plated crystalline panels and Solyndra thin film panels.
The Somerset system is part of Newark-based PSE&Gs Solar 4 All program, a plan to invest $515 million on 80 megawatts of solar projects around the state between 2009 and 2013.
With the hard work and commitment of key state legislators, the BPU and utilities such as PSE&G, New Jersey has become the sixth largest solar market in the world and a national leader in installed solar capacity – second only to California, said Jamie Hahn, managing director of Solis Partners. PSE&Gs Solar 4 All program has been key to that achievement. This project exemplifies PSE&Gs commitment to transforming underutilized commercial rooftops into clean renewable energy sources.
Rooftop solar makes tremendous sense for New Jersey, which has more flat commercial rooftops per square mile than any other state, said Gary Weisman, director of sales for Solis, in remarks at the event.
These underutilized rooftop assets are the perfect platform for deploying distributed solar generation facilities where power is most needed, said Weisman. Rooftop solar produces during the hours of peak demand, and provides power to the areas of the grid that need it the most – large commercial and industrial users.
The innovative cylindrical panels from Solyndra are designed to optimize electricity production on commercial flat rooftops. The ability of the system to cover more rooftop area and capture more light than traditional panels results in more annual solar electricity generation and will provide clean, low-cost power back to the utility grid for more than 25 years.
The Solyndra panels were integrated in the PSE&G system with a reflective white cool roof, which was on display at the ribbon cutting along with the Solyndra panels. The reflective roof not only enhances the efficiency of the building envelope from an energy savings perspective, but also increases the amount of solar production harvest.
Solis partnered with Allied Building Products Corp. on the project. Allieds distribution team delivered the Solyndra and SolarWorld panels directly to the PSE&G rooftop and craned the Satcon inverters into place onto the concrete pad. Allied also provided the overall logistical support that allowed the project to be executed smoothly.
"For a project of this magnitude, staging and delivery are key to overall success and Allied has been a great partner in the role of solar distribution and logistics," said Hahn.
At the ribbon cutting, the consensus of local dignitaries, which included New Jersey Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula and Somerset County Freeholder Patrick Scaglione, was that without a thriving renewable energy sector, the nation risks escalating dependence on fossil fuels, increased greenhouse gas emissions, reduced national security and the erosion of job creation within the clean energy sector.
In addition to being a great example of the advancements that are occurring in the solar sector, PSE&Gs Central Division Headquarters solar system illustrates how the Solar 4 All initiative is helping the renewable energy sector grow in New Jersey and the nation, said Al Matos, PSE&Gs vice president of Renewables and Energy Solutions, who delivered the opening remarks to the crowed of about 50 people.
By installing large amounts of solar capacity in a reliable, orderly way, Solar 4 All is a driving force behind the renewable energy market, said Matos. Programs such as ours help create a predictable demand for these advanced products. This creates the kind of environment that solar companies need to spur innovation and cost efficiencies on their part, which then drives even more demand, more sales and more innovation.
The benefits of having utilities such as PSE&G as major players in the renewable energy field extend beyond helping to create a market for solar companies, also helping ratepayers, he said.
Our Solar 4 All program provides maximum benefit to PSE&G electric ratepayers, said Matos. Every one of the panels we are placing in service generates value from the sale of its electricity and capacity, the federal investment tax credits it realizes and the solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs) that it generates.
