Georgia’s Largest Solar Canopy Powers Up

“We’re proud of the fact that Suniva’s cells and modules, created here in Georgia, are being used to power the solar canopy at the Laredo Bus Facility,” said Bryan Ashley, chief marketing officer for Suniva. “The solar canopy is the biggest project of its nature in Georgia, and will generate enough electricity to offset the majority of the facility’s annual electricity consumption.”

In 2009, MARTA received a $10.8 million federal grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) Program. Thanks to this funding, the project has created new “green-collar” jobs in metro Atlanta and is harnessing clean, renewable solar power to operate the Laredo Bus Facility in a significantly more energy-efficient and cost-effective way. The project features 4,888 PV panels and will generate the same environmental benefit as planting more than 285 acres of trees a year.

“We’re thrilled that the solar technology used to build the canopy for the bus facility was born out of Georgia Tech’s PV lab. To be able to use home grown technology to power this landmark project is a clear demonstration of the clean energy innovation and leadership found here in Georgia,” said MARTA Board Chairman Jim Durrett. “This project will further enhance MARTA’s growing sustainability program, which already includes clean fuel buses, water reclamation and harvesting operations and waste recycling programs.”

Suniva’s high-efficiency modules contain more than 80 percent U.S. content and are fully “Buy America” compliant. For more information, please visit www.suniva.com.