Jul 12 2010
Air Products will construct a solar farm on an area spanning 12 acres at the company’s corporate headquarters located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, capable of producing 1.5 MW of electrical energy. This 1.5 MW is sufficient to meet the energy needs of around 50% of the administration buildings of Air Products. The project is likely to commence construction this fall.
For many years now, the company has been delivering critical materials and gases to PV manufacturers who produce solar panels. Recently, through its SunSource Solutions offerings, Air Products has been taking efforts to reduce PV manufacturing expenses.
In addition to the investment made by Air Products on the solar farm, the farm also received a grant of $1 million from Commonwealth of Pennsylvania under the Alternative Energy Funding Bill. This funding was provided by the Commonwealth Financing Authority of Pennsylvania.
By using the 1.5-MW of renewable energy, the company decreases its reliance on purchased electrical energy, thereby decreasing its CO2 footprint by over 1,000 tons annually.