A New Jersey newspaper publisher plans to derive almost half of its electricity from solar power.

North Jersey Media Group is working with KDC Solar to install 20,400 solar panels at the publisher’s Rockaway, New Jersey printing and packaging plant.

The panels will generate about 4.2 million kWh of electricity a year, the media group said – enough to power 600 homes.

The installation looks set to rival the state’s largest solar facility, a 4.1 MW array built to power pharmaceutical and beauty company Johnson & Johnson. https://www.environmentenergyleader.com/2010/09/22/johnson-johnson-completes-largest-solar-panel-array-in-nj

The Johnson & Johnson array of 13,496 ground-mounted panels, located in Titusville, came online in September.

Construction on the Rockaway installation is due to start early this year, with the aim for the project to be operational in late 2011.

“We already buy newsprint with the highest recycled content available,” said Stephen Borg, president of North Jersey Media Group. “Our paper supplier has zero percent deforestation, meaning there is no loss in trees.  We use soy-based inks.  This is the next big step.”

The media group publishes regional daily newspapers The Record and the Herald News, plus more than 40 community newspapers and several glossy magazines.