FedEx Ground, the small-package shipping unit of FedEx, plans to have installed what it calls the largest rooftop solar-electric system in the United States at its distribution hub in Woodbridge, NJ. The project is the third between a FedEx operating company and BP Solar and the fifth solar power project for FedEx. The 2.42MW photovoltaic power system will employ about 12,400 BP panels across approximately 3.3 acres of rooftop space.
BP will begin installing the system in August and expects to finish the job by October. When completed, BP will operate the system and FedEx will buy the power generated, which will be as much as 2.6 million KWhr of electricity annually and up to 30% of the hub’s yearly energy needs.
Last year, FedEx Freight installed two solar power plants in Southern California, a 282KW array in Whittier and a 269KW system in Fontana. In 2005, FedEx Express activated a 904KW system at its Oakland, CA, hub–the first of its kind in the FedEx family. The Oakland system meets up to 80% of that facility’s peak energy demand, the company says.
FedEx is building its Central and Eastern European gateway at the Cologne/Bonn, Germany, airport, which is slated for completion in 2010 and will include a 1.4MW PV power system.
Once all the PV power systems are activated, FedEx will have more than 5.25MW of solar installed at the five sites.
