Solar Frontier and Belectric announced today that they have installed over 2,500 thin-film CIS modules on the roof of the Edeka Krawczyk supermarket parking lot in Schwabach, Germany. Leveraging Solar Frontiers eco-friendly, RoHS compliant CIS modules, the city of Schwabach has nominated the installation for its biennial environmental award.
With an overall capacity of 340 kWp, the installation was connected to the grid in July, 2011, and is the first plant of its kind to use Solar Frontiers thin-film modules. Our first pilot installation of this kind with Solar Frontier CIS technology has a forecast output of 374,000 kWh and an expected reduction of 255 tons of CO2 emissions per year, said Martin Zemsch, Managing Director, Belectric.
The new CIS installation provides the additional benefits of Solar Frontiers solar panel technology, including an all-black finish that fits better into the overall landscape, and high durability to withstand harsh weather conditions making them the ideal choice for Belectric and the supermarkets management.
This first parking lot roof project collaboration between Solar Frontier and Belectric offers supermarkets the compelling economical and ecological benefits of CIS solar power, said Wolfgang Lange, Managing Director, Solar Frontier Europe. The installations nomination for Schwabachs environmental award provides increasing evidence that our CIS solar modules are the most eco-friendly currently on the market. We have taken another step together with trusted partners like Belectric to further position Solar Frontier as the technology leader in the market.
An existing solar installation at an Edeka supermarket in Gorchsheim, Germany, has proven the benefits of using more ecological ways to power commercial facilities. Last year the parking lot was upgraded through an innovative rooftop solution, on one hand enabling protection from rain and snow and on the other hand the generation of environmentally friendly electricity. The results were increased revenues thanks to higher customer satisfaction and an overall more positive public image for the supermarket.
An additional feature of the Edeka Krawczyk supermarket is the installation of an electrical charging post by Belectric Drive, enabling the charging of electrically operated vehicles. Customers will be able to charge their electrical cars while theyre shopping. The combination of the photovoltaic parking lot rooftop installation and an electrical charging post for electrically operated vehicles offers our customers the opportunity to make a contribution to CO2 reduction while they are shopping, said Roland Krawczyk, Manager of the Edeka supermarket in Schwabach.
Since 1992, the biennial environmental award of the city of Schwabach has been given to an organization or project which is committed to improving environmental conditions, protecting natural resources or improving the living environment.
Solar Frontiers CIS thin-film modules are produced at its new gigawatt-scale Kunitomi plant in Miyazaki, Japan. This state of the art facility produces the companys high performance CIS thin-film modules currently rated up to 155W, which have already been certified by TÜV Rheinland Japan (IEC), Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and BRE Global (Microgeneration Certification Scheme, MCS) allowing installation all over the world. The recently obtained salt and ammonium resistance certificates also highlight the suitability of the modules in agricultural and seaside areas.
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