Solar Going on Rooftop of Home Furnishings Store

That’s the vision of Michael Bay. The innovator who bought and transformed three former mills into huge furniture retailing complexes has announced that his Merinos Home Furnishings in Mooresville will host a large solar project on its roof.

Solar panels installed and owned by MainLine Solar in West Chester, Penn., are expected to provide 2.1 million kWh of energy in the first year of use. That’s enough to supply power for about 200 average American homes for one year. Bay is giving MainLine use of the roof for free for 20 years.

Perhaps most extraordinary, Bay has committed to purchasing the project’s carbon offsets, also known as renewable energy credits. The 10-year commitment means that Bay is investing significant resources into the future of solar power. He will not use the carbon offsets but has decided to buy them to jumpstart the project.

“We’re looking to make this a very visible, educational project,” says Bay. “We’re doing this for our community and the nation. We are big believers in the development of alternative energy sources. The solar project will be part of what makes Mooresville distinctive and special.”

The solar panels will stretch across three rooftops in the Merinos complex, spanning about 160,000 square feet in all. Installation will start at the end of 2012 and is expected to be completed during first quarter 2013.

Bay has also started a new company, Merinos Solar, for research and development of a new solar roofing technology. The technology is aimed at replacing traditional roofing materials with energy-producing, crystalline photovoltaic panels. Merinos Solar and MainLine Solar will conduct a year-long case study on the technology starting later this year.