A photovoltaic array with a nominal power of 96,6kWp delivered by IBC Solar has been put into operation by the US Embassy in Athens (Greece). Generating approximately 135,000kWh of green electricity per year from sunlight, the installation comprising 420 poly-crystalline IBC PolySol 230TE PV modules will achieve an annual reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of 135 tonnes, estimates IBC Solar. The electricity generated by the PV array will be used directly in the embassy building instead of being fed into the public grid.
IBC Solar A.E., the Greek affiliate of IBC Solar located in Athens, was responsible for planning the array and the delivery of all components. Construction began in mid-July 2011 and was completed within a few weeks.
The array was constructed above an open parking lot. Apart from generating green electricity, the modules therefore also provide shade for the vehicles parked underneath. “We were extremely pleased to build this flagship project for the US embassy”, explains Panos Biazzos, general manager of IBC Solar A.E. “Projects like these truly demonstrate the value and the advantages offered by PV installations.”
The project was carried out as part of the US Mission Solar Energy Project, aimed at supplying all US embassies worldwide with PV systems. Serving as a role model, similar efforts have already been completed in Geneva (Switzerland) and Kigali (Rwanda). “This is a great project that exemplifies the United States’ commitment to renewable energy and to pursuing green solutions, by reducing the environmental footprint of the Embassy,” said the US Ambassador to Greece, Daniel B. Smith. “As President Obama has emphasized, the US needs to lead by the power of example in using energy intelligent products. The photovoltaic installation is exactly that kind of initiative.”
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