PETALUMA, Calif., July 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Labcon North America, (www.labcon.com) the world's leading manufacturer of Earth Friendly laboratory disposables, announced today the completion of an 800 kilowatt (kW) rooftop solar panel system. The array will contribute about 30 percent of Labcon's energy needs, allowing the company to significantly reduce its carbon footprint.

"At Labcon we place a high value on being a responsible manufacturer and considerate member of our community," stated Jim Happ, President of Labcon North America. "By installing one of the largest solar projects in Sonoma County, we are helping the environment while reducing our energy costs and helping reduce the carbon footprint of our products."

Labcon received financing for the project from U.S. Bancorp Equipment Finance.

Labcon partnered with SunPower, based in San Jose, California, for the installation. The project began with upgrading the facility's roof to support over 2,500 solar panels. The panels create an array covering approximately one half of the rooftop on the 125,000 square foot building. The project took 7 months and also included improvements to power routing systems. Total project cost was $3.3 million.

"We chose SunPower as our panel supplier, because we wanted to work with a company based in the United States," said Happ. "SunPower has been an excellent partner, helping us meet our sustainability goals," he added.

Labcon has worked to incorporate sustainability into its operations since relocating to Petaluma in 2003. A concerted effort at replacing outmoded equipment with energy efficient alternatives and new lighting earned Labcon a PGE energy award in 2004. This new solar project produces enough electricity to power 88 homes for a year and is the equivalent of removing 56 cars from the road. The project reduces the company's carbon footprint by over 300 tons of carbon per year or the same as planting 61 acres of new trees.

About Labcon North America (www.labcon.com)

Labcon North America is the world's leading producer of low carbon laboratory disposables and was the first to market compostable plastics for laboratories. Labcon's focus on sustainable solutions for laboratories dates to 1994 with the first low carbon products. A UL-Certified ISO 9001:2008 company; Labcon North America is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay area.

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SOURCE Labcon North America