Long Beach City College in California has opened a solar energy harvesting car park, utilising Sanyo HIT solar panels.
The 2,100 roof mounted solar modules will generate over half a million kilowatt hours annually, enough to meet 9% of adjacent building’s electricity needs. The 450 kilowatt system will reduce electricity related greenhouse emissions by around 9,200 tonnes a year and will provide some much needed shade in the car park.
Tim Wootton, Director of Facilities at Long Beach City College, said Sanyo HIT solar panels were chosen for the project was because of their high sunlight conversion efficiency. SANYO HIT Power panels offer a cell efficiency of 19.3% and a module efficiency of 17.1%; one of the highest in the industry.
“With the installed solar system, we have been able to turn an ordinary parking garage into an extraordinary solar power plant, accomplishing both a reduction of our carbon footprint and our electricity bill at one time.”
Sanyo HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer) technology combines a thin monocrystalline silicon layer encased in ultra-thin layers of amorphous silicon. The unique structure of the panels also allows for better solar electricity production in extreme heat compared to other solar module technologies; and given this attribute, are sought after for high end solar power systems in Australia. Sanyo states in hot conditions, HIT Power solar panels produce 10% or more electricity than conventional crystalline silicon solar panels at the same temperature.
HIT Power models have a double-wall black anodised aluminium frame for additional strength and are equipped with a touch safe junction box, USE-2 outdoor rated cables, MC4 connectors. The panels are UL 1703 safety rated for wind, hail, and fire.
The Long Beach Community College District is a single college district with two campuses and an enrolment of over 30,000 students annually. The college has also installed a special information kiosk on the adjacent campus parkway to show electricity levels being produced by the rooftop solar array.
