Largest Solar Panel Yet Opens in Sun Valley
Xebec completes the largest rooftop solar installation in Los Angeles, which will generate 4.3 million pounds of carbon reduction, enough to make 1,000 homes carbon-free.
“Renewable energy is an important initiative in California, and this is our opportunity to create systems that help to accomplish some of these ambitious goals,” Randy Kendrick, founder and CEO of Xebec, tells GlobeSt.com. “Xebec has been a long-time proponent of developing environmentally friendly and energy-efficient industrial real estate and we began investigating ways to install solar on various buildings in our development pipeline with PermaCity several years ago.”
The large roof area and multiple buildings made the Pendleton project an ideal location for an installation of this size. “Not to mention, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has a very pragmatic program to purchase the power generated from the installation,” adds Kendrick. “In other utility districts, solar is either discouraged or the owner of the system has to engage is a more complex power sale agreement with the building’s tenant. The LADWP’s program is a much better solution for building owners and operators.”
PermaCity Construction Corp., subcontractor PermaCitySkyBridge and Stronghold Engineering, Inc. designed the 2.6-megawatt project. It created 40 local jobs, which included training on solar installation procedure. “There have been some recent installation innovations whereby the solar panels can be installed seamlessly with the installation of the TPO roof membrane,” says Kendrick. “That has allowed for solar systems on new construction and re-roof projects on existing buildings. Some buildings have complex mechanical systems on their rooftops, which can preclude installation, but most industrial roofs work for the new systems.”
The project was a resounding success, and Xebec is looking into other opportunities to add solar panels to the rooftops in its Los Angeles portfolio. “We are in the process of several new solar installations on Xebec buildings both new and existing developments that are located in the LADWP utility district,” says Kendrick. “We are very excited about our continued efforts to create renewable energy assets to support stated initiatives for increasing the percentage of power generated by renewable sources in California. Thanks to the LADWP, we are in an excellent position to accomplish this goal in the Los Angeles basin.”