VA hospitals, REC Solar sign contract

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA - Fast growing REC Solar, the leading solar installer in the U.S., announced an agreement to build 1.7 megawatts of solar power systems on federal facilities in California, Arizona and Nevada.

When completed at the end of spring in 2010, the systems will be the largest solar power systems in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These systems are expected to create over 60 jobs during construction.

“We are pleased and honored to work with the VA Hospitals in their effort to increase the use of renewable energy in achieving their agency-wide goals," said Angiolo Laviziano, CEO of REC Solar. "Today, solar PV technology is competitively-priced for commercial and government applications. It's fast to install, and reliably delivers clean power, particularly during peak demand hours when the electricity rates are the most expensive," adds Laviziano. "We also make it simple for government entities to purchase solar by offering a turnkey solar power system in one single purchase through the standardized GSA Schedule."

The projects generate approximately 2.1 MWh of electricity per year, the equivalent of what would be used by 3,600 households. REC Group panels will be used for these projects. Many government agencies are discovering that there never has been a better time to switch to solar, avoiding volatile and increasingly high prices for conventional energy sources, while achieving federal policy goals for energy efficiency and renewable energy generation.

The PV systems will be installed at: four California VA Medical Centers in Palo Alto, Fresno, Los Angeles, and Long Beach; as well as the VA Medical Centers in Tucson, Arizona and Reno, Nevada. All systems will be completed in early 2010, and are expected to save the combined hospitals well over $175,000 a year in avoided electricity costs.

These high-efficiency systems utilize over 7,000 REC Group AE-US PV modules mounted on a combination of roof, carport and ground mount applications. The systems utilize a range of Satcon inverters and are performance monitored by Energy Recommerce Inc.