Alcoa has completed a 588 kW, roof-mounted photovoltaic solar power system at its Alcoa Building and Construction Systems’ Kawneer manufacturing facility in Visalia, California.
Alcoa partnered on the project with DEERS, a global solar power project developer and Constellation Energy Projects & Services, which constructed and will own and operate the solar system. Alcoa will purchase the electricity generated.
The power generated by more than 4,300 Uni-Solar thin film solar panels will provide approximately 80 percent of the 200,000-square-foot facility’s electricity needs. In addition to the solar panels, more than 200 solar light tubes were installed to supplement the artificial lighting in the facility with day lighting. Alcoa says it is considering similar solar power projects at other facilities.