By
Greentech Lead Team:
SPI Solar, a vertically integrated photovoltaic solar developer, announced that
it has been selected by BLT Enterprises to build a 400 kW DC distributed
generation PV solar energy facility to help power operations at Volkswagen’s
U.S. Test Center California.
The project
was jointly developed by Pacific Edison and SPI. The center, currently under construction
by an affiliate of BLT Enterprises, is a 63,500 square-foot facility. SPI
expects to begin construction of the SEF in the first quarter of 2012.
The facility
will be the most advanced emissions testing and power train development
facilities. The center will be used by various brands within the Volkswagen
Group which includes Volkswagen, Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti. It is
also fundamental to Volkswagen’s mission to operate the center in a manner that
is consistent with its environmental mission. This solar energy facility helps
to fulfill a major part of that mission.
The SEF
being designed by SPI will utilize a mix of rooftop and carport structures to
host the onsite solar array. It is the second large-scale system that SPI and
Pacific Edison have developed for BLT.
In January
2011, SPI announced completion of a 398 kW system at BLT’s Fremont, CA
high-tech recycling and waste recovery facility.
“We are
fortunate to enjoy a long-term working relationship with BLT Enterprises. BLT
is an innovative commercial development company and this will be the second
large-scale distributed generation SEF we have designed and built for them. We
look forward to having our systems integrated into more of their buildings in
the future,” said Steve Kircher, CEO for SPI Solar.
“We are
excited to team up with BLT Enterprises on another solar energy project. This
project will help Volkswagen to achieve its sustainability objectives and
control energy costs at its new state-of-the-art technical center and emissions
laboratory,” said Dion Camp Sanders, CEO of Pacific Edison.
“As
traditionally sourced energy costs rise, it is becoming increasingly more
important to offset them with thoughtful and sustainable energy platforms that
can be deployed onsite and reduce long-term operation costs,” said Rob
Solomon, Chief Development and Legal Officer for BLT Enterprises.