Empower Energies, a leading Renewable Portfolio Solutions company, announced the completion of four new photovoltaic (PV) solar projects at the General Motors Warren Technical Center campus, in Warren, Mich. The installations include a ground-mounted solar array and three solar Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations.
“General Motors is committed to promoting the use of 125 MW of renewable energy by 2020, which includes solar installations,” said GM’s Manager – Renewable Energy, Rob Threlkeld. “As the leading automotive user of solar power, we understand the importance of solar projects like this, and we continue to work with companies such as Empower Energies to activate new projects at our facilities around the globe.”
The newest installation is a 49-kW ground-mounted array situated on the north side of the pond adjacent to the GM Vehicle Engineering Center. This solar array is outperforming energy production expectations.
The three EV charging stations now operational on the Warren Tech Center campus are located in parking areas adjoining the Vehicle Engineering Center and the Advanced Engineering Center. The latest of these solar EV charging stations is situated in the parking lot across from GM’s new IT Center.
“GM is a very sophisticated renewable energy customer with a world-class engineering background,” said Lou Pellatiro, Empower Energies VP, EV Solar Charging Operations. “Each of these arrays was installed on a different schedule. We are always highly motivated to deliver on time, on budget, and to specification. That’s what we do. It sure is nice to achieve that for General Motors.”
These solar charging stations enable Chevy Volt-owning GM employees to power-up their vehicles while they spend their work-day engineering next-generation EV technologies or taking existing vehicles, such as the Chevy Volt, to market.
“These EV Charging Stations may be small in stature by today’s solar-industry standards,” said Len Jornlin, Empower Energies Chief Executive Officer, “but they represent a huge commitment to Clean Transport Infrastructure, and our ability to scale the technology domestically and abroad using our expertise and extensive relationships, including strategic partners such as China Triumph International Engineering Company (CTIEC).”
Installations such as the solar charging stations at the Warren Tech Center enable Empower Energies and market leaders such as GM to refine product design while honing commercial understanding of EV owner requirements.
According to Wang Congxiao, CTIEC Director, New Energy Engineering, “Working together on projects like these enables both parties to deliver on the promise of these new technologies.”
Empower Energies has installed 22 similar canopies for Chevy Dealers from Joliet, Ill., to Ankeny, Iowa, to Dublin, Calif., as well as at GM and other commercial facilities across the country, with more being commissioned every month.
“GM has made significant commitments to renewable energy,” Jornlin concluded. “We’ve been pleased to work hand-in-hand with them on these four solar projects to help them deliver on that commitment. And we look forward to working with GM on other renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.”
— Solar Builder magazine
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