Project Focus: SunPower teams up with ConEdison for 1.2MW solar system at Bell Labs

SunPower has agreed to collaborate with Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs and ConEdison Development for the construction of a 1.2MW ground-mounted solar system on six acres of Bell Labs headquarters in Murray Hill, New Jersey. Anticipated to be fully up and running by next spring, the solar system will use SunPower’s T0 Trackers on over 3,700 solar panels.

Each solar panel will produce 318W to comprise the total 1.2MW system. ConEdison will oversee the engineering, procurement and construction, as per its agreement with SunPower. Additionally, it will also own,  operate and possess all solar renewable energy credits for the solar installation, which SunPower has agreed to design and build.

“We are excited about this solar power system because Bell Labs pioneered research on solar technology, so this connects Bell Labs to our past, while looking to the future,” said Jeong Kim (pictured), president of Bell Labs.  “Alcatel-Lucent has made a serious commitment to environmental sustainability, and this is one step we are taking to honor that commitment.  We are working on ways to help our customers operate their own networks with more sustainable technology, which is the focus of a great deal of research at Bell Labs…”

ConEdison has also agreed to complete two contracts with Alcatel-Lucent. The first is a PPA where Alcatel-Lucent will purchase energy from ConEdison over fifteen years while the second contract will have ConEdison lease the land for the solar installation from Alcatel-Lucent for fifteen years. In return, Alcatel-Lucent will bear no upfront costs for the installation and will be able to buy the energy produced at a lower than retail rate.