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Sierra Nevada Embraces Solar Power at California Facility |
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Tuesday, 22 January 2008 |
CYPRESS, Calif.: Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc. has been selected to provide photovoltaic (PV) panels for the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico, Calif. The 1.3 megawatt system is being installed in two phases by Chico Electric and will provide 34 percent of the brewery's power.
"Sierra Nevada Brewery is one of the most environmentally conscious companies in the industry and we are honored to be working on this project with them," says Gina Heng, director of marketing for Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA's Photovoltaic Division. In addition to the new solar electric system, the brewery has installed a 1MW fuel cell, a 500 kW solar array shade structure in its parking lot, and it also makes methane from brewery waste products, all part of an effort to use clean energy and make the brewery energy independent.
Mitsubishi Electric is providing 6,800 of its 185Wp high-strength, corrosion-resistant modules for the project. The modules contain no lead solder, a technology Mitsubishi Electric introduced to the United States in 2005. Instead of lead-solder coating for the cells, Mitsubishi Electric developed silver electrodes that offer superior weatherproofing and higher PV module conversion efficiency.
Chico Electric completed the first phase of the project on Dec. 31, 2007. The next phase will be finished in June 2008 after construction of a new building on the brewery's property.
"We are proud to have the opportunity to design and install a solar electric system for such a forward-thinking company like Sierra Nevada Brewery. We feel this project is a good match for us given our extensive background in electrical services and the brewery's commitment to the environment," says Norm Nielsen, president of Chico Electric.
Copyright Business Wire 2008
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