Early Tuesday, on the roof of its fulfillment center in Carteret, NJ, Amazon completed a different kind of delivery. The company was all smiles as it showed off their newly operational 7.5MW solar energy system, one of the country’s largest arrays on a single rooftop.
Congressman Frank Pallone, D-NJ, joined Amazon, the host and buyer of the electricity, along with Sol Systems, the PV developer, EPC of record and financier, and IGS, the long-term owner, to showcase a landmark accomplishment in advancing its sustainability goals that include solar systems on 50 of its facilities by 2020.
All power generated by the system – comprised of 22,086 modules, 85 inverters and 40,749 ballast blocks – will be used on site either instantly or through net-metering. The system began delivering power to the grid on August 7.
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Congressmen Frank Pallone signs a commemorative panel during the event[/caption]
"It's been a really challenging and long experience to build something like this," Sol Systems CEO Yuri Horwitz, "The end result is pretty elegant and magnificent at the same time."
Sol Systems worked with its partners to crane lift the 2.5 million pounds of equipment atop the 45-foot roof in an impressive seven weeks, even with work stoppages caused by high winds.
Pallone cited the array as an example of his state’s potential to promote renewable energy. While touring the largest single rooftop array in New Jersey, he envisioned a similar posture for the state itself when it comes to renewables, telling NJ.com, “New Jersey can be the leader [in promoting Wind and Solar].”
Also among the crowd were several participants in Amazon’s Career Choice Program who are working to earn their North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners certifications that will open up new, higher paying jobs for them. Under the program, Amazon pre-pays 95 percent of tuition and fees for associates to earn certificates and associate degrees in high-demand occupations.
As the groups toured the solar energy system that will power operations in the 24-hour fulfillment center which employs 3,000 people alongside 900 robots on a million-square-foot floor, there is no doubt that “fulfillment” had taken on a whole new meaning for the center.
ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS
Sol Systems, a national solar finance and development firm, delivers sophisticated, customized services for institutional, corporate, and municipal customers. Sol is employee-owned, and has been profitable since inception in 2008. Sol is backed by Sempra Energy, a $25+ billion energy company.
Over the last eight years, Sol Systems has delivered more than 600MW of solar projects for Fortune 100 companies, municipalities, universities, churches, and small businesses. Sol now manages over $650 million in solar energy assets for utilities, banks, and Fortune 500 companies.
Inc. 5000 recognized Sol Systems in its annual list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies for four consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.solsystems.com.