Gresham City Hall Plants a Pair of Solar Trees

by Shannon L. Cheesman, KATU | May 3, 2012

GRESHAM, Ore. — Gresham City Hall has gone green by planting a couple more trees on its grounds.

Only these aren't the typical trees you'd expect.

On Wednesday, crews began the installation of a pair of solar trees — "solar panels with an artistic flair — at the city hall in Gresham, Ore. The aesthetic-appealing solar installation is part of a larger renewable energy project, funded by grants ($500,000 in federal stimulus grants, and $124,000 from a grant from the Energy Trust of Oregon) that will also bring in a solar canopy to the city call parking lot.

"We determined there were two important things," said Andy Noel, REC Solar's Utility Business Development Manager. "One was to create a sizable solar system. So we used some of the space they had in the parking lot to create a roughly 100-foot long solar carport. But in addition to that, there was the desire to do something more unique, more visible."

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Massive Vet Solar Carport Project Comes to L.A.

by Angeli Duffin, Earth Techling | Apr 18, 2012

In the city infamous for its traffic and people’s affinity for their cars, as well as its abundant sunshine, it’s only fitting that one company is taking advantage of both — with a solar canopy project at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

REC Solar and the Build Group just completed the first phase of their solar support canopy project, putting up 3.72 of the 6.8 megawatts of solar planned for the VA hospital’s carports. Once completed, the solar carport project will be the largest of its kind at a VA hospital campus in the U.S.

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IKEA teams with REC Solar to power up solar energy panels at store in Paramus, N.J.

by Katherine Field Boccaccio, Chain Store Age | Apr 11, 2012

Paramus, N.J. -- Ikea said Tuesday it has officially plugged in the solar energy system installed at its location in Paramus, N.J.

Ikea contracted with REC Solar for the development, design and installation of the customized solar power system. The 132,000-sq.-ft. PV array consists of a 1,063-kW system, built with 4,620 panels. It will produce approximately 1,359,100 kWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing 1,033 tons of carbon dioxide, eliminating the emissions of 184 cars or powering 117 homes yearly.

Ikea owns and operates each of its solar PV energy systems atop its buildings – as opposed to a solar lease or power purchase agreement. The Paramus installation is the 17th completed solar energy project for the chain in the United States, with 20 more locations underway. The Swedish home furnishings retailer’s eventual U.S. solar presence will near 85% and generate 30.8 MW.


The 375,000-sq.-ft. Paramus store opened in July 2003.

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REC Solar on Mortgage Matters Radio

by Staff, KVEC 920 | Mar 29, 2012

REC Solar residential solar consultant Brian Ghiglia was featured on KVEC 920’s “Mortgage Matters” weekly radio show this past weekend, talking with Dan and Jason about the world of solar energy and the benefits of solar for home owners.

“Programs such as the Power Purchase Agreement, and the ability to go solar for free and start saving money, hasn’t become mainstream yet...” Ghiglia said. “But that’s our end goal, to bring renewable energy to the mainstream where, more often than not, you see (solar) on people’s homes.”

Ghiglia also talked about how some local schools have been able to go solar utilizing PPAs.

“This is the definition of a win-win situation,” Rylan Stewart noted in a follow-up blog post. “At the least, it is a cost-neutral proposal for the school, and at best, they pay less for cleaner energy.”

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