The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) yesterday inaugurated one of the largest solar power systems in the nation’s capital, atop the DOE’s Forrestal Building.
The 205-kilowatt photovoltaic system will generate approximately 200 megawatt hours of electricity annually, provide up to eight percent of the Forrestal complex’s energy during peak hours, and save as much as $26,000 in utility costs in its first year of operation.
"The significance of this solar array is both practical and symbolic–it improves the way the Department consumes energy and it is a symbol of America’s commitment to using the best available new technologies to confront the energy challenges we face today and will face tomorrow," DOE Secretary Samuel W. Bodman said.
In January 2007, President Bush issued an Executive Order calling on all federal agencies to reduce energy intensity, or consumption per square foot, by 30%. That order also calls for the percentage of new renewable sources in each agency’s energy supply to be increased and asked agencies to put renewable energy generation projects into operation on their properties.
The DOE has a goal of acquiring at least 7.5% of its energy from renewable sources by 2010.
The photovoltaic system is approximately 40-50 times larger than a typical residential system. The system is integrated into the current roof and is not visible from points below the roofline. SunPower Corporation, (Nasdaq: SPWR), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer, designed and installed the system, which is comprised of 891 individual photovoltaic modules, each with an efficiency of 18.5%, among the highest efficiency modules available for purchase today.
Insulation incorporated into each module has the potential to provide additional energy savings of up to 30% by reducing the building’s heating and cooling load.
While generating clean, renewable, and emission-free electricity directly from the sun, the solar installation will also serve as a learning demonstration project for the public and other federal agencies. A large video display, installed in the public area of the DOE lobby, monitors electricity generated by the solar array and explains other aspects of the project.
DOE’s Forrestal Building is one of only two federally-owned and operated office buildings in Washington, D.C., to have earned the ENERGY STAR® distinction; DOE’s other headquarters facility in Germantown, Md. earned the ENERGY STAR® certification in 2002. Commercial buildings earning the ENERGY STAR® designation must demonstrate low utility usage in electricity, gas and steam; have good indoor air quality; and good indoor temperature. Buildings that earn this designation are among the top 25% of facilities in the country for energy performance.
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