Caribbean Business
Thurdsday, May 27, 2010
By Gyna M. Hernández
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Carolina Shopping Court (CSC) took its first big step toward sustainability whit the installation of a 189-kilowatt photovoltaic system to supply the electricity that illuminates its common areas.
Caribbean Energy Distributor, local representatives of photovoltaic systems manufacturer Pevafersa america, supplied the 900 photovoltaic panels that are expected to slash CSC´s electricity bill by 90% from the current $8,000 a month to about $800.
It took a $1.4 million investment (taking advantage of the 50% tax credit available until fiscal 2011) and four months of planning and installation to finish the project.
While there are other photovoltaic projects currently under construction, the CSC project is the largest of its kind to be completed and in operation, according to engineer José E. Bacardí, engineering vice president of the Emilio Bacardí Group.
"As developers, we wanted to be among the local pioneers in green energy, contributing to the environment by helping reduce carbon emissions", Bacardí said.
This is the first green-energy development for the firm, and it seems likely that there will be more.
"We´re receiving calls for more projects. Recently, I spoke with Pérez Matos, who has several shopping malls, asking to come visit the project and expressing interest in photovoltaic systems for his shopping malls," said José R. "Pepín" Bacardí, president of the Emilio Barcardí Group.
In this particular project, CSC will sell and purchase energy to and from the Puerto Rico electric Power Authority (Prepa) on a net-mettering basis.
Designed by AZ Engineering´s Ángel Zayas and installed by Dynamic Solar Solutions, the project´s construction period was a record two months.
"We attribute this to the team's more than 20 years o f experience in construction. The biggest challenge was installing the system without interrupting the shopping mall operation, which includes retail stores and physician offices," said engineer Leonardo Lebrón, president of Caribbean Energy Distributor.
