Ross Solar Group Completes New York City's Largest Rooftop Solar Power System

NEW YORK, Dec. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ross Solar Group, a SunPower Elite Dealer, has completed New York City's largest rooftop solar installation for Jetro Cash and Carry at the company's Hunts Point Restaurant Depot facility in the Bronx, N.Y. 

The 1.56-megawatt system is also the first to integrate a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system that allows Con Edison to remotely monitor and control the system. The SCADA system adds an enhanced level of resiliency to Con Edison's grid, helping to protect the utility's customers from power outages such as those that occurred during Hurricane Sandy.

"The Jetro project demonstrates that large solar installations are viable in New York City, and we hope to see other businesses follow their lead," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. "The smart grid employed here is exactly the kind of innovative solution that New York State needs to increase the resiliency of the grid and protect residents from power outages."

Jetro is a wholesale cash and carry foodservice supplier offering a broad selection of products to independent restaurants, caterers and non-profits.

"We considered a solar project for several years, but we wanted to make certain that it made financial sense for us as a company, and that the returns met our requirements," said Jetro Vice President Peter Claro, "Ross Solar Group's willingness to work within our specific guidelines, as well as their commitment to quality and full transparency were strong factors in our decision to move forward."

Jetro's rooftop system is comprised of 4,760 high-efficiency SunPower solar panels, the most efficient solar panels available on the market today. It is expected to generate in excess of 1.8 million kilowatt hours of clean energy per year. According to estimates provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the system will offset more than 1,212 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, the equivalent of removing almost 7,000 cars from New York's roads over the next 30 years.

"We applaud Jetro's commitment to implementing leading technology that will deliver operational savings for the company and a secure and reliable renewable energy future for New York," said Robert Kline, director of commercial sales for Ross Solar. "We also credit Governor Cuomo's NY-Sun initiative and our partnerships with Con Edison and SunPower for the success of this project."

The solar system installation was made possible through awards that Ross Solar received from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) through Governor Cuomo's NY-Sun initiative.

About Ross Solar Group
Family owned and operated, the Ross Solar Group provides custom designed turn key solar solutions to both commercial and residential customers throughout the Northeast.  Founded by Jason and Joshua Ross in 2007, Ross Solar received the prestigious SunPower Intelligent Award in 2012 for their contribution to a 345-kilowatt installation at North Shore Community College in Danvers, Mass., and was also named SunPower Regional Commercial Dealer of the Year in 2011. Since their inception, Ross Solar has installed over 12,000,000 watts of solar in the Northeast, including installations for Walmart, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit www.rosssolargroup.com.

SOURCE SunPower Corp.