Assurant Specialty Property, one of Springfield, Ohio’s largest employers, marked Earth Day by dedicating the area’s newest, largest solar energy installation.
More than 6,200 solar panels, installed on rooftops and atop 15 new parking canopies over the prior six months, are now supplying power to Assurant’s campus off East Leffel Lane. Springfield Mayor Warren Coleman and State Rep. Ross McGregor were on hand for the dedication.
The 1.76-MW project will produce more than 1.9 million kilowatt hours of solar power annually — making it the Springfield-Dayton area’s largest solar installation.
“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Earth Day than marking the completion of this project,” said Ray Rafferty, vice president for Assurant Specialty Property’s Springfield Service Center. “We’re demonstrating our commitment to environmentally responsible business practices and helping control our energy costs for years to come.”
Marking the dedication, the Assurant Foundation also announced a $5,000 grant to Center City Association of Springfield, for environmental programs.
The solar power produced at Assurant Specialty Property in Springfield translates to a reduction of more than 1,400 tons of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of planting more than 33,000 trees, or more than 280 acres of pine forest.
Assurant Specialty Property is part of Assurant Inc., a leading provider of specialty insurance. The Springfield solar project, first of its kind at an Assurant facility, also expands the company’s expertise in the solar industry. Assurant launched the nation’s first specialized insurance and warranty management program for commercial-scale solar installations in May 2012, and is insuring the solar project at Springfield.
Also on hand for the dedication was Tom Kimbis, general counsel and vice president of the Solar Energy Industries Association, who added: “Leading companies such as Assurant recognize that good environmental practices make for good business. This is an impressive, state-of-the-art project, and projects such as this are a big reason why Ohio has become a national leader in solar job growth. Our congratulations go out to everyone involved.”
Tangent Energy Solutions, experts in commercial and industrial energy technologies, will operate the array, owned by LCP Solar Development I, LP, and managed by Laurel Capital Partners. The project was constructed by Third Sun Solar, a leading solar energy installer based in Athens, Ohio.
Assurant Specialty Property employs approximately 1,900 at the Springfield campus. “We’re very proud to be on the cutting edge of solar technology here in southwestern Ohio,” Rafferty said. “This project makes sense for our company and the environment, and is a real point of pride for our entire team.”
— Solar Builder magazine
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