Largest solar project in a national park, Yosemite, features SolarWorld solar panels in three formats
Park project includes roof-mount, parking-canopy and wall-mount systems
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HILLSBORO, Ore., July 27, 2011 – The new largest solar installation in a U.S. national park features high-performance solar panels from SolarWorld, the largest U.S. photovoltaic manufacturer for more than 35 years, in roof-mount, parking-canopy and wall-mount systems at Yosemite National Park. The installation, dedicated today in a ceremony at the El Portal Administrative Complex in the 1,189-square-mile park, marks an advance in self-sufficiency and sustainability for the treasured wilderness reserve in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.
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. Each is composed of SolarWorld 240-watt mono-crystalline silicon solar panels made in Hillsboro, Ore., site of the company’s U.S. headquarters, and Camarillo, Calif., home of the longest-running U.S. solar factory. The park estimates the solar installation will supply about 12 percent of the park’s total power consumption.
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“The combination of harnessing California’s abundant sunlight and technology and labor provided by U.S. workers ideally suits this energy advance for Yosemite National Park,” Superintendent Don Neubacher said. “Solar panels from SolarWorld, along with the contributions of a number of other U.S.-based service firms and manufacturing enterprises, will maximize the sustainable impact on this effort to not only take care of the park but stretch the planet’s resources.”
SolarWorld authorized installer Suntrek Industries Inc., based in Irvine, Calif., undertook the installation along the scenic Merced River. The park is known for granite formations, such as Half Dome and El Capitan, that legendary photographer Ansel Adams indelibly captured. “This project was about protecting an amazing national park,” said Alex Smith, project manager for Suntrek. “What better way to protect the park than with solar energy?” Kevin Kilkelly, president of SolarWorld Americas, said the company, many of whose U.S. employees date back to the early years of domestic solar manufacturing, couldn’t be prouder to supply solar panels to help operate a jewel in the crown of the U.S. park system. “This project will go down as a magical milestone for us,” Kilkelly said.
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About SolarWorld AG
SolarWorld AG manufactures solar power systems and in doing so contributes to a cleaner energy supply worldwide. The company, located in Bonn, employs approximately 3,000 people and carries out production in Freiberg, Germany, and Hillsboro, USA. From raw material silicon to the solar module, SolarWorld manages all stages of production ‒ including its own research and development. Through an international distribution network, SolarWorld supplies customers all over the world with solar modules and complete systems. The company maintains high social standards at all locations across the globe, and has committed itself to resource- and energy-efficient production. SolarWorld has been publically traded on the stock market since 1999 and is quoted in the technology index TecDax. SolarWorld achieved sales of about one billion Euros for the fiscal year 2011. More information at www.solarworld-usa.com.
Media Contact:
Devon Cichoski
Media relations manager
SolarWorld Americas
4650 Adohr Lane
Camarillo, CA 93012
Mobile: 805-377-2905
Office: 805-388-6388
devon.cichoski(at)solarworld-usa.com