Parking Canopy Is Largest Solar Energy Generator in Sonoma County
SAN JOSE, Calif. and SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) and SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWRA,
SPWRB), a manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar
systems, will dedicate a 1-megawatt solar tracking system today at Agilent's
Santa Rosa, Calif., campus.
The system features a three-acre parking lot canopy structure with nearly
3,500 SunPower solar panels that track the sun throughout the day, providing
shade and solar electric power for Agilent's facility. The design of
SunPower's tracking solar system will generate up to 25 percent more energy
for Agilent than a similarly sized flat, rooftop system. As a result,
Agilent's solar parking canopy is the largest solar energy generator in Sonoma
County.
'Agilent's commitment to be a responsible corporate citizen includes
taking steps to protect the environment,' said Ron Nersesian, vice president
of Agilent's Wireless Business Unit and general manager of the company's Santa
Rosa facility. 'We work continuously to reduce the environmental impact of our
operations, suppliers, products and services, and this new solar power system
is a great complement to our existing sustainability programs.'
Agilent owns the renewable energy credits and all environmental attributes
associated with the system. GE Energy Financial Services owns the system,
which SunPower designed and built and is operating. Agilent will purchase the
generated electricity from GE Energy Financial Services under the SunPower
Access(TM) power purchase agreement program.
'Converting an underutilized asset such as a parking area into a
distributed power plant is a great example of how forward-thinking companies
like Agilent and GE Energy Financial Services are taking advantage of today's
solar technology,' said Tom Werner, chief executive officer of SunPower. 'The
power purchase agreement provides Agilent with immediate savings and a long-
term hedge against rising peak power prices.'
Using SunPower solar panels, the highest-efficiency panels on the market
today, the system is expected to displace more than 90 million pounds of
carbon dioxide over the next 30 years. This is equivalent to the emissions
from approximately 7,500 cars.
About SunPower
SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) designs, manufactures and
delivers high-performance solar electric systems worldwide for residential,
commercial and utility-scale power plant customers.
