Aerzen USA Goes Off The Grid
New Solar Panel System Generates Entire Facility's Electricity - RER Energy Group president Jim Kurtz states "This is unusual for a manufacturing facility. In most cases, solar only provides approximately half or less of a manufacturer's electric needs. But due to Aerzen USA's emphasis on energy efficiency and the design of the LEED Gold building, the company is achieving this unusually high level."
Aerzen USA company president Pierre Noack comments "It was never the main goal to save money but rather to reduce our environmental footprint. We want to reduce energy consumption as much as possible and then try to fulfill that need with solar energy." After trying for over two years to find the right solution for the solar project, the company decided on decided in favor of a power purchase agreement (PPA) with RER. Aerzen submitted a number of Pennsylvania grants for this project, which either ran out of funds or were cancelled. The RER Energy Group completed the installation that consisted of 15 individuals working for about four weeks.
A Solar Energy Dashboard shows a real-time view of the current solar generation and kilowatt hours generated to date.
How Does Solar Electric Work?
Photovoltaic systems convert light energy, photons, into electricity through the photoelectric effect. When photons from the sun reach the solar module; a certain portion are absorbed by the cell's semiconducting silicon. This knocks its electrons loose and channels them into a flow of DC (direct current) electricity. An inverter changes DC (direct current) into AC (alternating current)—the type of electricity used almost exclusively to power businesses and homes.
AC electricity flows from the inverter into the facility's electrical service panel where it is drawn as needed to electrical loads throughout the facility. Any excess power produced by the PV system flows back into the grid through a bidirectional "net meter" (causing the meter to spin backward).
About RER Energy Group
RER Energy is a regional leader in the renewable energy industry focusing on solar electric, solar hot water, biodiesel fuel conversion technology, and waste-to-energy systems. For more information visit www.rerenergygroup.com.
About Aerzen USA
Aerzen USA is a wholly-owned division of the German manufacturer, Aerzener Maschinenfabrik GmbH, and has been a recognized world leader in the production of rotary positive displacement machines since 1868. Aerzen USA is based in Coatesville, PA. For more information, visit www.aerzenusa.com.
Person in charge:
Ralph Wilton
Marketing Manager
Phone: 610-380-6367
Fax: 610-380-0278
rwilton@aerzenusa.com
AERZEN USA CORPORATION
108 Independence Way
Coatesville, PA 19320
USA
www.aerzenusa.com
