Macy’s continues solar charge with new PV installation at NJ facility

SOLAR ENERGY NEWS | JUNE 8, 2012 BY BRIAN | 0 COMMENTS

On June 6, solar firm Enfinity announced it had completed a 1.1 MW solar installation atop Macy’s distribution center in Edison, New Jersey.

Each year, the installation is expected to generate 1.3 million kWh of electricity. According to SunConnect, the project’s co-developer, the solar array will meet almost three quarters of that facility’s energy demand. Enfinity owns and operates the array, and Macy’s will purchase the electricity at a fixed price through a 20 year power purchase agreement (PPA).

Financing was provided by local utility PSE&G through a loan program based on the Solar Renewable Energy Credit.

A solar installation on a Macy’s store in Irvine, California. Photo Credit: San Onofre Safety.org

Enfinity’s CEO Rafael Dobrzynski called the installation “a good example of what the future of solar PV will look like; more roof-mounted, distributed generation plants located near areas of higher electricity demand.”

“It’s also a good example of how it takes robust, experienced companies – such as the team on this project – to work together through a highly complex process to deliver a successful installation,” he continued. “The post-1603 solar market demands a high degree of development experience and ready access to financing.”

The project is Macy’s 42nd solar installation in the U.S. “We are proud to be a retail industry leader in hosting solar power, which is a critical element of our strategy for sustainability at Macy’s, Inc.,” said Bill Lyon, Macy’s vice president for energy management.

“Harnessing the power of the sun supports our nation’s drive for energy independence, and it helps our company to operate more efficiently. These are factors that are important to our customers, associates and shareholders.”