SolarWorld Breaks Ground on More Than 500 Kilowatts of Solar Carports at Four California Parks

SolarWorld, the largest U.S. solar manufacturer for more than 35 years, announced today that it has begun constructing solar carports totaling 537 kilowatts of power-generation capacity at four public parks in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The four carports are expected to generate a total of 17,300,000 kilowatt-hours in renewable energy, saving the Conejo Recreation and Parks District (CRPD), the local government unit that owns and operates the parks, millions of dollars over 25 years.

The project resulted from a partnership between CRPD, SolarWorld and Sustainable Power Group (sPower), a renewable-energy development firm. SolarWorld’s engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) division, based in nearby Camarillo, Calif., is overseeing all phases of the project, including design, engineering, procurement, permitting and construction. Together, SolarWorld and sPower have provided the project’s financing through a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA).

Under the PPA, SolarWorld will construct, install, maintain and operate the four solar carports. In return, CRPD will purchase energy from SolarWorld and sPower at a lower rate than it would have paid to buy power from the local utility during the same time frame. Over the life of the PPA, CRPD is expected to save an estimated $3.4 million.

"With this project, SolarWorld brings together its high-quality solar technology and top-flight engineering and construction talent with sPower’s financing capacity to help CRPD meets its fiscal and sustainability goals,” said Kevin Kilkelly, president of SolarWorld Americas, the company’s commercial unit for the Americas. "The project also highlights a growing trend among U.S. park districts. Long-time stewards of the environment, these organizations understand that solar power can also play a role in financial stewardship.”

The solar canopies will be built in parking lots of CRPD’s top four energy-consuming facilities: Borchard Community Park, Dos Vientos Community Park, Thousand Oaks Community Park and Conejo Creek South Park. Aside from generating clean power, the carports will provide covered parking for park patrons.

The carports, ranging from 71 kilowatts to nearly 170 kilowatts, feature SolarWorld high-performance, 270-watt solar panels manufactured in the company’s factory in Hillsboro, Ore.

"We are excited to start this project,” said Tom Hare, CRPD’s administrator for parks and planning. "In addition to wanting to secure cost savings, we feel it is important that CRPD promote energy efficiency. We were pleased that we could accomplish these goals with SolarWorld, a company that has been manufacturing and designing solar systems in our community for more than 35 years.”

About SolarWorld

SolarWorld AG manufactures solar power systems and in doing so contributes to a cleaner energy supply worldwide. The company, located in Bonn, employs approximately 2,500 people and carries out production in Freiberg, Germany, and Hillsboro, Ore. From raw material silicon to the solar module, SolarWorld manages all stages of production ? including its own research and development. Through an international distribution network, SolarWorld supplies customers all over the world with solar modules and complete systems. The company maintains high social standards at all locations across the globe, and has committed itself to resource- and energy-efficient production. SolarWorld has been publicly traded on the stock market since 1999. More information at www.solarworld-usa.com