Solar Nation has announced the installation and commissioning of a 91.9 kilowatt solar-electric system on the Rosauers Supermarket in Hood River, Oregon. The system was installed by Rosauers Supermarkets, Inc. as part of their overall sustainability initiative, which also includes the adoption of recycling, reclamation, reusable bags, high-efficiency lighting and refrigeration, and local suppliers.
The 15,000 square foot system was designed, engineered, and installed by Solar Nation. The rooftop array is comprised of 638 Uni-Solar PVL-144 panels and covers approximately sixty percent of the grocery store’s roof. The array is connected to a Solectria inverter. The solar panels and the inverter were manufactured in the United States.
The Rosauers Hood River system is one of the first in the state of Oregon to be completed under the state’s Feed-in Tariff Pilot Program, which is administered by local utilities under the auspices of the state Public Utilities Commission, and which is designed to provide a reasonable return on investments in solarpower generation systems. The clean, renewable energy that is produced by the system is enough to power eight average-sized homes. It is estimated that over its 25-year warranted life, the Rosauers Hood River system will keep 3,645,098 pounds of CO2 from entering the environment, the equivalent of eliminating 2.5 million automobile miles, or the environmental benefit provided by 72,902 trees.
“Once we had a clear picture of the environmental and financial benefits of solar, the decision to build a system was easy ,” explained Jeff Philipps, President of Rosauers Supermarkets. “Solar Nation was an outstanding partner, providing us with detailed information and analysis and assisting us in every step of the process from application to build out. We were very impressed with the professionalism and teamwork that were apparent throughout the project.”
"While I was a resident of the Hood River area for many years, I personally chose to shop at Rosauers because of their large selection of high-quality natural foods and because of their excellent service. Rosauers has continued that tradition of excellence through their sustainability initiative, which now includes solar power generation. The Rosauers Hood River solar-electric system will cut carbon emissions and reduce demand on the local utility, improving the environment for everyone. The system will also provide Rosauers with immediate and long-term savings, helping make them a stronger business and employer,” said Paul Hodge, Chief Executive Officer of Solar Nation.