Independent Energy Solutions has completed and commissioned a 1.15MW (DC) solar photovoltaic installation for the Capital Group companies’ Irvine, CA, campus. The system, which is mounted on shade structures on the roofs of three parking garages, provides nearly 50% of the energy used to power the campus data center and central plant equipment.
The combined PV array, said to be the largest currently operating in Orange County, consists of 5472 Kyocera 210W polycrystalline-silicon panels running through three Satcon inverters, and is capable of producing 1.7 million KWh annually.
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Financial terms of the project were not disclosed.
“Our Irvine Campus proved to be an ideal location for this type of solar implementation,” said Reid Mccartney, VP of corporate facilities for the Capital Group. “The existing parking shade structures provided the significant square footage required for economies of scale and a financially viable system. The combination of system capacity, tax incentives and timely rebate structures, make this PV system very cost effective over the long term.”
“IES’s ability to install over 5400 panels in 17 working days was particularly effective in minimizing disruptions at our fully occupied campus, which our Irvine associates continue to recognize and appreciate,” he continued.
George Gisel, COO of Vista, CA-based IES, said that the “project shows that, even during a recession, companies like the Capital Group can ‘go solar’ because the investment payback periods are shorter than ever. In this case, the Capital Group should see a full payback in five years, and the system will save them $14 million in energy costs over 25 years. Solar projects like this make economic sense and promote the importance of sustainability and corporate citizenship.”
