PSE&G's Central Headquarters Solar System Complete

SOMERSET, N.J., March 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) today marked the completion of a rooftop solar installation at the utility's Central Division Headquarters in Somerset, NJ. The 0.9-megawatt system is one of six large solar systems PSE&G is erecting on company-owned properties as part of its $515 million Solar 4 All™ program.

"The Central Division solar system shows why it makes sense for PSE&G to be an active player in New Jersey solar development," said Al Matos, PSE&G's Vice President – Renewables and Energy Solutions.  "By building these systems on PSE&G-owned property, leveraging our knowledge of the electric system and putting our project management skills to work we have installed a large amount of solar capacity in a very short time and in a very cost effective way with little impact to customers."

"Through our Solar 4 All program, we have added over 35 megawatts of solar capacity in the state in a little more than a year," Matos said. "These projects have helped provide stability to the state's solar market and have made New Jersey a center for renewable energy in the United States."

The Solar 4 All program is a cost effective way to develop solar energy. The financial benefits – federal tax investment credits, sale of the energy and capacity to PJM and the solar environmental credits (SRECs) are returned to PSE&G electric ratepayers, which reduces the cost of the program.

The Central Division Headquarters solar system is comprised of all U.S. made panels: 648 traditional crystalline solar panels and 4,180 Solyndra® cylindrical thin film solar panels. These advanced technology panels are capable of converting direct, diffuse and reflected sunlight into electricity by capturing sunlight across a 360-degree photovoltaic surface. The panels generate extra electricity from the building's new white reflective, "cool roof", offering a conservation benefit and power generation capability on the same rooftop.

The panels cover more than 101,000 square feet of roof space and are connected directly to the electric grid for the benefit of all PSE&G electric customers. The Central Division Headquarters solar system will produce enough electricity to power about 155 average-size homes.  

Solyndra is among the leading solar panel manufacturing companies that PSE&G is using to help deploy solar systems across the state. Solis Partners, a premier developer of solar energy projects located in Manasquan, NJ is responsible for the design, engineering and deployment of both the white cool roof and solar PV systems for the Central Division Headquarters project.

"This turn-key solar rooftop PV system is an important project for PSE&G and for New Jersey residents," added Jamie Hahn, Managing Director of Solis Partners. "It exemplifies PSE&G's commitment to transform under utilized rooftops in New Jersey into clean renewable energy sources while reducing green house gases and creating new jobs in the Garden State."

In addition to Central Division Headquarters' 0.9 MW rooftop solar system, PSE&G is building a 0.7MW solar system at its Edison Training and Development Center facility in Edison, N.J. where roof, ground, carport and pole-attached systems are installed.  The utility also has four large ground-mounted solar farms in service on PSE&G-owned properties.  These solar farms are located in Yardville (4.4 megawatts) Linden (3.2 megawatts), Edison (2.0 megawatts) and Trenton (1.3 megawatts). Each are among the largest solar farms developed in New Jersey and three are built on remediated brownfields (Edison, Trenton and Linden). There also are four solar systems built on the grounds of five Newark Public Schools and three additional roof systems on leased sites in Perth Amboy and Bayonne.

State regulators approved PSE&G's Solar 4 All program in July 2009. The approved program required the utility to make investments to install 80 megawatts of solar power, enhancing the economic growth of NJ, creating green jobs and vastly increasing the amount of renewable energy capacity in the state of New Jersey. The program's first segment consists of installing up to 40 megawatts of highly distributed pole-attached smart solar units in neighborhoods on utility poles in PSE&G's electric service territory, which includes the state's 6 largest cities and roughly 300 rural and suburban communities. This is the largest pole-attached solar installation in the world, with the smart solar units connected directly into PSE&G's electric distribution system providing solar generated power to all customers.

The second segment of the Solar 4 All program focuses on 40 megawatts of centralized solar facilities, such as the Central Division Headquarters system and other solar sites on PSE&G owned or leased properties connected directly to the grid thus benefiting all customers.

Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is New Jersey's oldest and largest regulated gas and electric delivery utility, serving nearly three-quarters of the state's population. PSE&G is the winner of the ReliabilityOne Award for superior electric system reliability.  PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG), a diversified energy company (www.pseg.com).

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Solis Partners is a leading developer and integrator of solar power systems for commercial, industrial and utility clients. Solis Partners designs, engineers and constructs leading edge, optimized solar power systems, enabling customers to meet their long-term energy needs while reducing operating costs and addressing their carbon liabilities. Solis is a comprehensive partner, offering the complete solution for both solar and roofing. Solis Partners is headquartered in Manasquan, N.J. For more information, please call (732) 800-0052, or visit www.solispartners.com.

SOURCE Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G)