Phoenix Contact unveils rooftop solar system
EP&T Magazine
Electronics Environmental Supply Chain connector environmental solarThe nearly 1-megawatt array will produce 30% of facility’s energy needs
A 961-kilowatt solar array on the rooftop of Phoenix Contact’s U.S. headquarters will generate about 30 percent of the facility’s energy needs. In celebration of Earth Day, Jack Nehlig, president of Phoenix Contact USA, will join company and local officials to unveil the photovoltaic system on Friday, April 22.
“We estimate this solar power installation will reduce our electricity costs by approximately $150,000 per year. While a smart business choice for us, reducing our company’s carbon footprint is more important in the long term,” said Nehlig. “Sustainability and renewable power generation are at the heart of Phoenix Contact’s vision for an All Electric Society. This is one critical step on our journey to becoming a carbon-neutral company by 2030.”
Phoenix Contact designed and installed the monitoring portion of the system, which features numerous Phoenix Contact products. In 2014, Phoenix Contact installed a 1-megawatt Combined Cooling Heating and Power (CCHP) facility. The system provides 65 percent of the facility’s energy needs and saves the company more than $300,000 annually. With the CCHP and the solar array, Phoenix Contact will generate enough energy to go off the grid on sunny days during the shoulder seasons (spring and fall).
