Independence Solar

Independence Solar Completes 300 kW Rooftop Solar Array for Guilford, CT Based The Safety Zone

February 13, 2013 By Independence Solar

GUILFORD, CT — Independence Solar and its installation partner, Pat Munger Construction Company, today announced the completion of a 300 kW rooftop solar array for The Safety Zone, a Guildford, CT manufacturer and distributor of gloves and specialty protective equipment now in its fourth decade of operations.

One of the first solar projects to be brought online under Connecticut’s innovative ZREC (Zero Emissions Renewable Energy Certificate) program, the Independence Solar team helped The Safety Zone secure a 15-yr ZREC contract with regional utility Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) to take advantage of clean energy incentives made possible by the state’s progressive energy reform legislation passed in 2011.

“Our new PV system allows us to hedge against high electricity costs, enhance our overall bottom line, and showcase our company’s commitment to environmental responsibility,” shared Lon Seidman, a co-owner of the family run business.

He added, “When you take on a complex project of this scope you need a knowledgeable, reliable partner and Independence Solar was exactly that every step of the way.”

The roof-mounted system, comprised of 1,248 solar PV panels, is expected to supply 100% of the electricity used by the 128,00 square foot distribution facility annually. All major components of the system were sourced from US factories, including the solar panels (Oregon), racking system (Wisconsin), and inverter (Massachusetts).

Independence Solar Vice President James Schwartz added, “The Safety Zone has remained a leader in its field for more than 30 years by making sound business decisions based on economic returns and long-term thinking. This solar system aligns perfectly with both objectives. It has been a pleasure working with such an innovative and forward-thinking company.”

Independence Solar called on their highly respected partner, Pat Munger Construction Company, to install the system. Based in Branford, CT, Munger is one of the region’s leading construction companies, providing high quality building services to businesses and municipal customers since 1968. Munger employed experienced, local labor to ensure the construction of the solar system was performed to the highest standards.

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About The Safety Zone
The Safety Zone, established in 1973, is one of the leading U.S. suppliers of gloves and other protection equipment and products. Praised for their commitment to exceptional customer service, The Safety Zone furnishes their customers in industrial manufacturing, food service, janitorial services, construction, health care and beauty products with the tools they need to properly and affordably protect their employees and work environments.

About Independence Solar
Independence Solar (www.independencesolar.com) is a turnkey installer of commercial solar energy. Since 2007, the team has developed and built over $200 million of solar projects, including the largest rooftop solar array (9 MW) in North America at the Gloucester Marine Terminal in NJ. Independence Solar forges long-term partnerships to maximize returns on their customers’ solar energy investments.

For more information, contact:

Carrie Gallagher
Independence Solar
c/o Lovable Marketing
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Holt to Build Largest Rooftop Solar Power Plant in North America at Gloucester Marine Terminal

June 21, 2011 By Independence Solar

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ — Gloucester Marine Terminal today announced that it is partnering with solar technology leader SunPower Corp. to build the largest rooftop solar installation in North America – a massive, 1.1 million square-foot project on the roof of the Terminal’s refrigerated warehouse near the Walt Whitman Bridge on the Delaware River.

Known as Riverside Renewable Energy, LLC, the $42 million, privately funded project calls for the installation of 27,528 photovoltaic rooftop solar panels that will generate nine megawatts of electricity (9 MW) – or roughly enough to power 1,500 homes – at Gloucester Marine Terminal, which is owned by the Holt family.

The Riverside project will be nearly twice as large as any previous rooftop solar installation in New Jersey, which has emerged as a national leader in the development of renewable energy resources. Construction is underway and should be completed by the fall.

When completed, the Riverside project will generate the equivalent of nearly 80 percent of the Terminal’s power demand. According to estimates provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the system is expected to offset more than 9,500 tons of carbon dioxide, approximately the same amount that would be offset by planting 400,000 trees or removing 1,700 cars from the road.

In addition to the Holt family, the Riverside project is a partnership involving SunPower, a global solar technology company that designs, manufactures and delivers the highest efficiency, highest reliability solar panels and systems available today; Rabobank, a leading global bank and financier of renewable energy projects, which will lead the financing for the venture; and PSE&G, which will play a critical role in the interconnection of the project.“

Locally, the Riverside Renewable Energy project development and finance team was led by Bill Streich, Riverside CFO; J. Ferd Convery, from the Reed Smith law firm in Princeton, N.J.; and Keith Peltzman, President of Independence Solar, LLC in Cherry Hill, N.J. for financial and technical advisory services.

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For more information, contact:

Carrie Gallagher
Independence Solar
c/o Lovable Marketing
Click here for media inquiries

NewAge Industries Installs Rooftop Solar Panel System

June 14, 2011 By Independence Solar

Southampton, PA — NewAge Industries recently completed the installation of a one megawatt (MW) rooftop solar panel system, the sixth largest in all of Pennsylvania. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Wednesday, June 8, and the system is now in operation supplying half of the plastic tubing manufacturer’s energy needs.

The 1-megawatt system, which consists of 4,082 solar panels, is the largest roof-mounted solar array in Bucks County and the sixth largest in the state, officials said.

The solar project was financed in part by a $1 million solar energy program grant from Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development. Federal grant dollars of approximately $1.2 million are expected to be received next month. The total project cost was $4.2 million.

“As a responsible manufacturer, we’ve taken a number of green steps over the past several years, but the solar energy project was definitely the most ambitious,” stated Ken Baker, NewAge’s CEO. “It’s a great way to use renewable energy, help our community, and contribute to our bottom line.”

NewAge partnered with Independence Solar, based in NJ for the development and financing of the project and Borrego Solar Systems Inc., based in California, for the design and installation of the system. The solar panels – over 4,000 of them – were made in the U.S. by SolarWorld USA of Hillsboro, Oregon. The racks that support the panels and the inverters, which convert the electrical current, were also manufactured in the U.S.

“We thought it was necessary to buy American made,” he said. “We’re getting money from the state of Pennsylvania and the federal government. We felt, as a consumer, we make the choice.”

The project started last summer with upgrades to NewAge Industries’ roof. Solar panels now cover three-quarters of the rooftop on the 244,000 square foot building located in Southampton, Bucks County, PA.

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For more information, contact:

Carrie Gallagher
Independence Solar
c/o Lovable Marketing
Click here for media inquiries

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