Advanced Solar Energy System to Provide Nearly 50% of Power for NY Science Center
- Northern Power Receives NYSERDA Grant for Solar Energy System at Black Rock Forest Site
biz.yahoo.com
WAITSFIELD, Vt., April 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Northern Power Systems, a subsidiary of Distributed Energy Systems Corp (Nasdaq: DESC - News), has received a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to construct and install a state-of-the-art photovoltaic (solar) energy system at the Black Rock Forest Consortium's Center for Science and Education in Cornwall, New York.
Center for Science Fosters Research, Education and Conservation
Located 50 miles north of New York City on the west bank of the Hudson River, the Black Rock Center for Science sits on a 3,785-acre preserve and is dedicated to scientific research, environmental education, and conservation of natural ecosystems.
The building that will incorporate Northern's solar energy system is both a cutting-edge research center and a sustainable energy facility, utilizing technologies such as self-composting toilets, solar radiation, and geothermal heating and cooling systems. The site also has a sophisticated data acquisition system in place for research and educational purposes.
Solar Power Expected to Provide Nearly Half of Site's Electricity
The design of Northern Power's new 24kW photovoltaic (PV) system will provide electricity to the site and is expected to offset almost 50% of the building's electrical load. The system is comprised of two components: a large array on the roof of the Science Center, and a series of additional ground- mounted arrays located throughout the grounds.
The PV arrays will interconnect directly with the utility and are expected to be operational by June of 2005. The PV system will be rated at 24 kW DC at Standard Test Conditions (STC), and is designed to have an annual output of approximately 28,900 kWh AC. To further the Center's educational mission, Northern will also provide its SmartView(TM) data monitoring system to the project, so detailed information about the system's real-time operation can be made available to visitors to the center as well as local schools.
Jim Stover, Project Manager for Northern Power Systems, says, "Northern has extensive experience working with companies and non-profit entities to meet their environmental goals using cutting-edge on-site power generation systems. We're proud to contribute our expertise to such an important project."
"Researchers and students alike will benefit from the system's implementation," states Dr. William S.F. Schuster, Executive Director of the Black Rock Forest Consortium. "It also perfectly illustrates and expands upon Black Rock's dual commitment to renewable energy and environmental education. We look forward to working with the experts at Northern Power Systems on this exciting project." |
