Schneider unveils solar energy system at Palatine headquarters
Schneider Electric is using its Palatine headquarters as a centerpiece for solar energy, installing possibly the largest commercial solar array system in Illinois.
The company's photovoltaic solar array project, which uses energy from the sun, cost about $750,000 and took about six months to construct. It's expected to save the global energy management company about $9,000 annually on its own electric bill of $316,000 at its Palatine headquarters.
The project showcases energy efficiency, something that many companies could use today. It also could serve as an inspiration, said Schneider CEO Chris Curtis.
"Through this investment, we can demonstrate to our existing and future customers, employees and investors how you can safely power, control and monitor a solar solution," Curtis said via e-mail.
Schneider, which has about 114,000 employees worldwide including 350 in Palatine, launched the renewable energy system on Thursday with Palatine Mayor James Schwantz and other dignitaries.
The photovoltaic solar system has special "flowers" with 232 panels and 29 pole supports outside the headquarters building. It's expected to provide about 60.5 kilowatts daily, which may vary according to sun angle, time of year and weather conditions and is designed to work even in high winds and snow.
Another similar system operates at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, which has about 72,000 panels on about 140 acres.
Also, the Schneider system includes a metering and monitoring real-time display that will show current energy generated, energy used and the CO2 emissions reduction.
The system is expected to be used over the next 40 years. It has a payback time for the company's costs of installation of 8 to 10 years, or roughly $90,000. The rest of the construction cost was supported by federal and state incentives and tax credits, the company said.
"Educationally, it's significant as we can show our people and customers firsthand in real terms how the solution works and the positive impact that it can make," Curtis said.
Such a system can be very effective, said Seth Darling, assistant scientist and Solar Energy Systems Strategy Leader for Argonne National Laboratory in DuPage County.
"It's great news when local organizations are moving toward solar energy technology," Darling said. "There's quite a misperception out there that the Midwest isn't good for solar energy usage, and places like California are better. That's not true. It can be quite effective here."