Cumming, GA Sees Another BIG Solar Installation

Image credit - AJC

Some wording borrowed from AJC and Forsyth County News

Most everyone has heard of cutting a ceremonial ribbon to welcome new facilities, but how about a power cord? That's exactly what one south Forsyth business did to officially roll out the second largest commercial solar energy array in Georgia.

DataScan Technologies LLC, a subsidiary of JM Family Enterprises Inc., now has the capacity to capture and convert sunlight to create an estimated 285,500 kilowatt hours of electricity each year.

To symbolize the impact on the firm's electricity bill, company leaders cut a yellow electrical cord instead of a red ribbon during a dedication ceremony Tuesday.

DataScan Technologies is a global leader in wholesale finance accounting and risk management systems and services. It employs about 500, including some 200 at the local center.

Brent Sergot, vice president of DataScan, said officials began developing ways to reduce the data center's environmental impact about a year ago. He said the solar array, which is more than 24,000 square feet and housed on the center's roof, has the capacity to produce electricity equal to that used by some 25 standard residential homes each year.

It would take 377,000 pounds of coal or 477 barrels of oil to produce that much energy.

Colin Brown, president of JM Family Enterprises, thanked state leaders for approving Georgia's Clean Energy Tax Credit legislation during the past legislative session. The previous cap of $2.5 million dollars per year for solar projects was increased to $5 million dollars during an eleventh hour meeting.

"Without a partnership with the state of Georgia, this would not have happened," Brown said. "We're headquartered in the sunshine state of Florida, but Florida offers no energy credits.

"Georgia is on the fore-front in leadership in this area. You're having a great impact on the environment while also creating jobs."

Estimates from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority and the Georgia Solar Energy Association indicate the solar industry in 2010 had about 450 direct and indirect jobs, which generated about $1.3 million in withholding taxes.

DataScan's solar array features nearly 1,200 glass modules, which absorb sunlight and can withstand winds up to 130 mph. The modules are also hail-resistant.

The array, produced by California-based solar systems manufacturer Solyndra, is arranged on the roof to avoid shadows.

Officials said the $2 million investment in the array should be returned in about seven years through reduced power costs.

The short-term goal is to lower the data center's energy consumption by 10 percent in 2011.
Several state and local elected officials attended Tuesday's dedication.

Forsyth Commissioner Todd Levent called the project "absolutely on target."

"I'm all for the whole concept of getting away from foreign oil," he said. "With a seven-and-a-half-year return on their investment, this makes a lot of sense.

"It's nice to know Georgia is leading the way with environmental incentives."

Another business in Dawsonville recently went solar on their rooftop due to the lucrative tax incentives and solar energy repurchase agreements that are currently offered from local utility companies.

A display in the lobby of DataScan Technologies shows how much electricity a newly-installed solar array is generating. Local officials toured the south Forsyth facility during a "power-cord-cutting" ceremony Tuesday. Below, DataScan Facilities Manager Dennis Arserio, right, shows Forsyth County Commissioner Todd Levent some of the technology used in the solar array.

Company officials and guests gather on the roof of DataScan Technology on Tuesday to view the company's new solar power system.

'Georgia is on the forefront in leadership in this area. You're having a great impact on the environment while also creating jobs. Colin Brown President, JM Family Enterprises. 'I'm all for the whole concept of getting away from foreign oil. With a seven-and-a-half-year return on their investment, this makes a lot of sense.'

Other local solar developments include a solar carport and solar powered EV charging station that is currently being constructed by Atlanta mogul Ted Turner, a 48-acre landfill that is being converted into a solar power plant, and another 30 acre lot near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport that will include 4,000 solar covered parking spaces.

Ted Turner IS Captain Planet

Article source: AJC

I failed you, Atlanta. I sat down to interview Ted Turner last week with one main goal: to get an answer to a question that several local business and political leaders have been asking themselves lately.

The question: How can Atlanta get its mojo back? Big ideas like going after the Olympics and building Hartsfield-Jackson have largely been responsible for turning the metro area into what it is today. But to our detriment over the past several years — to this very day — there has not been a big idea capturing our imagination.

So who better to ask about what the next big idea might be than a visionary like Turner?

He wouldn’t bite.

“I’m not a business consultant,” he said.

I asked the question a few different ways, but his head and heart are elsewhere now — on tackling nuclear disarmament, containing population growth and reducing global warming by investing in alternative energy.

Turner, 72, argued that making the globe a better place benefits Atlanta, too.
“The last time I checked, Atlanta was on the planet Earth,” he said.

Intellectually, he’s right, of course. Still, I can’t forget how much of an impact he had in helping turn around a struggling downtown Atlanta — CNN Center, Turner Field, Philips Arena and the Turner Entertainment complex beside the Downtown Connector are examples.

I covered Turner for this newspaper during part of the 1990s, and I know that several of his advisers told him there were greener pastures in the suburbs. But Turner would have no part of it.

“God knows what would have happened to Atlanta if we moved to the suburbs,” he said.
Now, however, Turner only spends about 10 percent of his time here as he tackles some of the planet’s biggest messes with his money — a running total of $1.5 billion to the U.N. and a variety of environmental and anti-nuclear causes — and his mouth.

“My top priority is nuclear weapons because they can end it all in an afternoon,” he said. “There’s going to be a nuclear-weapons accident,” he predicted, similar to the nuclear power plant disaster in Japan.

Unstable governments with nuclear weapons, such as Pakistan’s, threaten the world, he said.

“We need to get rid of all nuclear weapons immediately,” he said. He knows that’s not going to happen but sees his role as pushing the envelope.

That same style takes hold when he talks about our reliance on oil and coal.
“The days of fossil fuels are over,” he said. “The trouble is we’re going to run out of atmosphere first.”

Turner is involved with promoting clean energy, favoring solar, wind and geothermal projects. He has reservations about natural gas and opposes the resurgence of nuclear power.

“Who wants to have a nuclear power plant in their backyard today?”

In the side yard of Turner Enterprises downtown — the parking lot — he has installed solar panels to help power the building. (I can’t criticize him for overlooking Atlanta on that score.)

“I think clean, reliable energy should be our top priority,” he said. The federal government should phase out subsidies for the fossil fuel industry, he believes, and transfer that money to beefing up alternative energy sources.

He recently teamed up with Atlanta-based Southern Co. and the local power cooperative serving Cimarron, N.M., on a big solar project there.

Speaking of teams, I asked if he had an interest in becoming a sports owner again, since the Thrashers are for sale and he was instrumental in bringing pro hockey back to Atlanta. There have been persistent rumors about the Thrashers ending up in Canada as the Flames did, negating Turner’s efforts from 15 years ago.

“No, I’ve done sports — been there, done that,” he said.

(During his quest for an NHL franchise back then, I once threatened to stop a Manhattan elevator right before Turner was heading into a closed-door meeting if he didn’t give me a quote to pacify my editor. “Ted, I’m not going to get fired over you,” I remember telling him. “OK, OK,” he replied, before telling me what was going on.)

I couldn’t end the interview without asking what business accomplishment he considers his most significant. I thought he might say the influence he had on other wealthy business people to give away their money, which a lot more are doing these days.

Instead, Turner cited an Atlanta icon.

“Of my business accomplishments, I’m proudest of CNN because it brought information to people who were deprived. … There are 99 24-hour news networks in the world today. … It’s amazing. When we started, there were zero.”


From Henry Unger, The Biz Beat - AJC

Solar paneled parking on tap for former Ford site

Source: AJC

Soon, 30 acres of solar panels could greet drivers along I-75 and those flying above, as well as provide shade for cars stashed near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

The panels -- essentially awnings -- would cover 4,000 surface parking spaces planned for the former Ford plant in Hapeville and near the new international terminal set to open next spring.

If built, the project would be the largest solar array in Georgia, said Walter Brown, who until recently chaired the board of the Georgia Solar Energy Association. “It’s the perfect place to do something like that,” he said, given the site's visibility near the world's busiest airport.

Solar advocates have long said Georgia lags in solar energy development, but recent tax incentives and a drive by Georgia Power to buy green energy have helped spur $40 million in new solar energy development the past few years, Brown said, and Jacoby's would be the largest.

Jacoby bought the 122-acre Ford plant in 2008 for $40.3 million. The recession slowed development of offices, residences and shops, but a parking facility always was the first order of business, said Scott Condra, senior vice president of development for Jacoby. The panels would generate about 10 megawatts of power, or enough to serve about a third of the airport’s needs, he said.

The firm still is negotiating a purchaser of the power, a potential parking operator, a solar panel installer, and potential bond and tax credits. But Condra expects to finalize terms in April and get the project started in June.

Brown said he believes people will pay a premium to park beneath shade producing solar energy. “The economics of a solar system like that really make sense, if you can charge a buck to $2 premium per day to park under a cover, and you are generating power."

Wired Up! 83% of Americans support incentives for using solar.

Source: Climate Progress

A new Gallup poll shows strong support for more renewable energy incentives.

Guest Blogger Daniel J. Weiss is CAPAF’s Director of Climate Strategy.

Congressional advocates of suspending the Clean Air Act to block the Environmental Protection Agency from requiring reductions in carbon dioxide pollution either don’t know or don’t care that the public overwhelmingly opposes their efforts. What’s worse is that they pretend that the public is on their side just because their big oil and other special interest pals are egging them on to stop EPA from protecting our families’ health.

Take Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), the new Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In December he co-wrote an article with the head of Americans for Prosperity, an organization funded by the Koch Brothers who own Koch Industries – a major polluter. The article falsely claimed that “We think the American consumer would prefer” that EPA not establish carbon pollution safeguards. This claim is disproven by recent public opinion research.

ORC International – the pollster for CNN – conducted a nationwide poll for the Natural Resources Defense Council. It found overwhelming support for more – not fewer – EPA safeguards.

This ORC International survey … conducted among a national probability sample of 1,007 adults… [The] survey was completed during the period January 27-30, 2011. The margin of error …is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Americans want the EPA to do more, not less. Almost two thirds of Americans (63 percent) say “the EPA needs to do more to hold polluters accountable and protect the air and water,” versus under a third (29 percent) who think the EPA already “does too much and places too many costly restrictions on businesses and individuals.” Well under than half of Republicans (44 percent), less than a third of Independents (29 percent) and under a fifth of Democrats (16 percent) think the EPA is going too far today.

Americans do not want Congress to kill the EPA’s anti-pollution updates. Only 18 percent of Americans – including fewer than a third of Republicans (32 percent) — believe that “Congress should block the EPA from updating pollution safeguards,” after being told: “Some members of Congress are proposing to block the Environmental Protection Agency from updating safeguards to protect our health from dangerous air pollution, saying they will cost businesses too much money.” More than three out of four Americans (77 percent) — including 61 percent of Republicans – say “Congress (should) let the EPA do its job.”

The latest USA Today/Gallup poll found that creating incentives to invest in solar and other forms of alternative energy is the top priority of Americans.

Of eight actions Congress could take this year, Americans most favor an energy bill that provides incentives for using alternative energy (83%), an overhaul of the federal tax code (76%), and speeding up withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan (72%).

Of the eight proposals, the alternative energy bill and tax code overhaul ideas show the greatest bipartisan agreement, with 74% or more of each party group favoring these.

With Republicans in control of the House of Representatives and Democrats in control of the Senate, it would appear the proposals with the best chances of passing are those that generate strong bipartisan support. That is clearly the case for a bill that would provide incentives for increased use of alternative energy.

How One Local Company Decided To Truly Go Green

It all started with an ugly commercial metal roof. Empty, lonely, and unhappy...

We then added some metal rails and other mounting hardware.

They were then secured to the roof to withstand 90+ mph wind.

We then attached some microinverters to keep track of each individual solar panel and measure unique performance. The entire installation process was overseen by 1 of only 10 NABCEP certified solar installers in Georgia.

The brand of microinverters is Enphase. They are THE BEST on the market to date and come with a really useful web-based monitoring service to make sure your panels are always running at max efficiency.

Once the panels arrived we lifted them via forklift to the roof.

The panels were then installed ontop of the racking system at the optimium tilt angle to accept the highest amount of solar sunlight.

Here is another view. The panels are connected together via the racking system and electrical wires and the microinverters.

Here is a closeup of the array. These are American-made panels from Mage.

When the sun sets at the end of the day, our client will see utility savings on average of $614 dollars every month. Over it’s expected 35-year life the 20kW system will generate approximately 1015 RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates) equivalent to offsetting 868 tons of CO2, planting 20,712 trees, or offsetting 27,740 gallons of gasoline. Energy Roofing Systems educated this client on federal, state, and local tax incentives that helped make this project possible. The Federal Clean Energy Grant is covering 30% of the total system cost while the Georgia Clean Energy Tax Credit picks up another 35%. Additionally, local utility provider Sawnee EMC is providing a $3,000 dollar incentive and a guarantee to purchase any excess energy this system generates.

Please visit our website, twitter page, and facebook acount to learn more about our company and our commitment to helping businesses improve their bottom lines by adopting clean, affordable, and renewable energy sources.

Green's expects to save money by going green

Source: AJC

Green's is going green.

Green's Beverage Store, a leading seller of beer, wine, and liquor in metro Atlanta, is covering most of its Buford Highway store's roof with photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, the company announced monday.

It expects to cut energy usage by 20 percent.

The new Solyndra PV system, 57kW, designed and installed by an Atlanta-based solar company, will produce about 86,000 kilowatt hours of power annualy, the company said.

Jeff Greenbaum, president of Green's parent, BINS Corp., said the company has been investigating ways to save energy because of its refridgeration requirements.

The Buford Highway location is also getting a reflective white roof.

Solar entrepreneurs have seen an uptick in commercial installations over the past year, spurred by tax credits and rising power costs.

This is a perfect example of how the green market can be both economical and environmental, saving a company money on bills which will hopefully translate into lower prices for consumers as well as improving environmental conditions from the adoption of clean energy sources. And it makes us happiest to see this solar project being installed ontop of a reflective white roof, presumably metal with a Kynar coating.

Polyester Films Manufacturer Expands Covington Production Facility

SKC, Inc. to create 120 jobs, invest $100 million | 11/5/2010

STATE OF GEORGIA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

ATLANTA, November 5, 2010—Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that SKC, Inc., a Georgia-based manufacturer of polyester films, will open a new production facility in Covington in Newton County. This new project is expected to create 120 new jobs, and represents a $100 million investment. The new facility will be located on SKC’s existing Covington campus, which also houses SKC’s U.S. corporate headquarters, polyester film production facilities and a new chemical systems house that opened in May 2010.

“Since opening its headquarters here in Georgia in 1999, SKC, Inc. has been a valued member of the manufacturing community in our state,” said Governor Perdue. “I am excited to see SKC expand the scope of its business in Georgia, and continue to create jobs that positively impact our state’s economy.”

The new 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility will produce plastic film components for the budding U.S. solar panel industry as well as other products, and is expected to be built in two phases.

SKC opened its state-of-the-art headquarters and manufacturing facility in Covington in May 1999, and currently manufactures a variety of Skyrol® brand polyester films on three production lines. The company’s Newton County operation ranks as the most productive and advanced plant in the polyester films manufacturing sector.

“Covington/Newton County is fortunate to have such a strong community partner in SKC. We have worked closely with them since their opening in 1999,” said Hunter Hall, president of the Covington/Newton County Chamber of Commerce. “We’ve enjoyed watching their growth and are pleased beyond words that they have chosen to locate their solar venture in Covington/Newton County. We look forward to a long and prosperous future with SKC as our partners.”

The company expects to begin hiring for the jobs created through the SKC expansion in April 2011.

About SKC, Inc.

SKC, Inc. is a subsidiary of SK group the world’s leading manufacturer of specialty & PET film sold under Skyrol ®, Skywel® Skynex®, and SKC PI® film brand based in Korea. The SK group conglomerate operates in the energy, petrochemicals, fibers, films, telecommunications, life sciences, consumer products, trading and finance sectors.

SKC, Inc. produces a wide range of films used in packaging, industrial, imaging, electrical, bio-compostable and solar applications. SKC, Inc. is based in the U.S., near Atlanta, Georgia and their state-of-the-art facility is situated on 389 acres.

Local Solar Company Joins Pres. Obama, India For Solar Talks

From: Solar Energy News

NORCROSS, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Suniva, Inc., a U.S. manufacturer of high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells and modules, today announced that it was a participant in the U.S. – India Innovation Roundtable led by President Obama. The roundtable, held in Mumbai, was part of the President’s first official visit to India. Suniva was the only solar company invited to participate in the roundtable discussion.

Supporting the Obama administration’s key goal of boosting U.S. exports, the roundtable discussion focused on growing trade and investment between the U.S. and India. Suniva’s chief marketing officer Bryan Ashley was one of seven business representatives, four from India and three from the U.S., to participate in the roundtable discussion with the President. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsak and U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer were also in attendance at the panel session.

“It’s an honor to be recognized as one of the premier examples of collaboration between India and U.S. business, as well as to have the opportunity to discuss with the President recommendations for continuing to develop business relationships with India,” said Bryan Ashley, chief marketing officer for Suniva. “Exports are key to the growth of the U.S. economy. Strengthening the economic and innovation bonds with India will result in greater export opportunities for businesses, which in turn will create new jobs in both countries.”

In a speech at the US-India Business Council summit after the panel, President Obama heralded Suniva as an example of U.S. businesses that are deepening trade relations through its work with Indian customers. Suniva’s high-efficiency solar cells and modules have been used in some of the most pioneering projects in India. The company recently announced that its solar cells power a 3 MW solar farm in Karnataka, one of the largest grid-connected solar fields in India. Suniva solar cells are also used in the first 1 MW rooftop solar array in India, built on the roof of the new Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi. In addition, multi-megawatts of cellular phone towers in India are now Powered by Suniva™ and leading Indian solar module manufacturers use Suniva’s high efficiency cells to make their panels more efficient and competitive in other world markets, including Europe, Asia, and the U.S.