Arizona's Largest Private PV System Online

"We have experienced an increase in customer demand for solar systems simply due to escalating energy costs."

- Sean Seitz, President of American Solar Electric

Cottonwood, Arizona [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Arizona's largest private solar PV project is now soaking up the Southwest sun. Genesis Worldwide Enterprises, a warehousing and distribution company, is celebrating the completed installation of a new 84 kW solar electric system at its facility in Cottonwood, Arizona.

The new photovoltaic (PV) system, installed on the roof of the facility's warehouse, will generate over 150,000 kWh of clean, renewable energy for the company's use each year.

"We saw a distinct advantage in utilizing the considerable solar energy resource available to us here in Arizona," said Bob Flynn, CEO and President of Genesis. "Our company strives to reduce its impact on the environment wherever possible. Installing the solar panels not only helps us achieve this, but also offers long-term economic benefits with a relatively short-term payback. It's a win/win situation environmentally and economically"

The system was designed and installed by American Solar Electric, a Phoenix-based integrator of photovoltaic power systems. The company's president Sean Seitz called the project a major accomplishment for his company and called Genesis a forward thinking customer for seeing the value in setting a major portion of their energy costs at a nearly fixed rate for the next 25 or more years.

"We have experienced an increase in customer demand for solar systems simply due to escalating energy costs," Seitz said. "A photovoltaic power system on your home or business is one of the only ways you can control a portion of your electricity costs. In addition, photovoltaic power systems generate no emissions and require no water to operate, unlike coal or natural gas power plants, thereby benefiting your environment too."

As part of Arizona Public Service Company's (APS) EPS Credit Purchase Program, Genesis Worldwide will receive an 'incentive' payment from the power company equal to 50 percent of the system's installed cost. In exchange for the incentive payment, Genesis Worldwide will allow
APS to apply the environmental credits generated by the system to the utility's solar-electric requirement. As contained in the Arizona Corporation Commission's Environmental Portfolio
Standard, APS has a current requirement to supply (1.0%) of its retail energy sales with
renewable energy - 60 percent of which must be solar-electric resources.

"Genesis Worldwide is setting an example for other Arizona businesses by installing this photovoltaic power system," said Former Arizona Congressmen Matt Salmon, the
current National Chairman of Americans for Solar Power. "When private businesses and utilities work together to develop more distributed solar resources, all of Arizona benefits by creating new jobs and diminishing our dependence on out-of-state energy supplies."

The photovoltaic (PV) power system on Genesis Worldwide's facility incorporates 448 Kyocera
KC-187 photovoltaic modules. The photovoltaic modules generate electricity by converting photons of sunlight into DC electrical current. The DC electrical current is transformed into utility-grade power by an inverter and is then used to power AC electrical loads on the property where the system is installed. When excess power from the solar system is available, it is sold back to the utility company for a credit on the customer's bill.

The photovoltaic modules are installed on the warehouse roof using a non-penetrating attachment method. This method of attachment ensures roof longevity and also saves time on
the installation of the solar array, thereby reducing the installed cost of the system. The PV power system also incorporates a complete Data Acquisition System which allows 'real-time' monitoring of system performance on a desktop computer located within the offices of Genesis
Worldwide.