Local Developer of Renovated Historic Building Will Flip Switch Today Energizing Solar Power System from Baker Renewable Energy

FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. –  (Oct. 28, 2009) The developers of one of this town’s most historic building renovation projects will flip a switch today energizing electrical power produced through a solar-energy project completed by Baker Renewable Energy.

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With local dignitaries and a representative of the state’s Renewable Energy office on hand from noon to 1 p.m., the developers of The Historic Mitchell Building will flip a switch and send electrical power produced by a bank of photovoltaic cells onto the electrical utility power grid.

In doing so, the solar power system built and installed by Baker Renewable Energy atop “The Mitchell” will create renewable energy through some 72 photovoltaic laminate panels. The panels, measuring 16-inches wide and 18-feet long, are only about one-quarter inch thick but will generate 10 kilowatts of power. That power will be sold to Progress Energy through a direct connection to the utility’s grid.

The 10-kw photovoltaic system provides practical energy savings for the developers, Mary and Eric Christofferson, who have converted the 63-year-old former automobile dealership building into retail and restaurant space.

“The Mitchell is typical of what the sustainable energy products we offer can achieve when tailored to a client’s specific facility needs,” said Jason Epstein, Baker Renewable Energy’s manager.  “The key in this industry is identifying a specific solution with the right, practical technology.”

The Christoffersons say that with incentives offered by the NC Greenpower program, as well as state and federal energy tax credits, they will yield a payback of less than four years for the system. The system at The Mitchell allows the developers to achieve real-time monitoring of the system through a simple dashboard interface accessible with any computer with internet capabilities.