SCHOTT Solar PV, Inc. and BPVS Bring Solar to New YWCA of Western Massachusetts Campus of Hope Housing Facility

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Nov. 29, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- SCHOTT Solar PV, Inc. ("SCHOTT Solar") and Berkshire Photovoltaic Services (BPVS) announced today the completion of a 28.6 kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) system for the YWCA of Western Massachusetts Campus of Hope housing complex in Springfield.

The YWCA of Western Massachusetts created the Phase II Supportive Housing Complex to offer secure homes, daycare and educational resources for abused women and their families. In addition to making the facility safe and comfortable for its residents, the YWCA also committed to using solar power as an energy source.

"SCHOTT Solar is privileged to help bring solar to the Campus of Hope," said Tom Hecht, President and chief sales officer of SCHOTT Solar PV, Inc. "By working with organizations like the YWCA and our partner BPVS, our commitment to a strong U.S. solar industry expands beyond creating American jobs to creating a meaningful impact for facilities that help improve lives."

BPVS designed and installed the PV system on the nearly completed Campus of Hope housing complex. It features 130 SCHOTT POLY® 220 modules that will annually save the facility more than $5,000 in electricity costs and defer more than 19 tons of carbon emissions.

"BPVS is proud to provide our community with a clean energy system that will help the YWCA ease concerns over electric bills while offering safe housing to women and families in need," said Chris Kilfoyle, president of BPVS of Adams, Mass.

"Having a green facility with solar panels helps send the message of optimism for a clean energy future to our residents and visitors to our campus," said Mary Reardon Johnson, executive director of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts.

The PV system and installation were funded through a grant by the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust's Green Affordable Housing Development Program and the Commonwealth Solar Rebate Program.

About BPVS

Since 1985, Berkshire Photovoltaic Services (BPVS) has installed hundreds of Photovoltaic Systems in the area. We favor Photovoltaic components manufactured in our region both to support the local economy and because these modules, mounts, and power electronics are the best in the world.

BPVS is fully licensed (MA HIC 131996) and insured for commercial, institutional and residential PV Systems. All of our installations are fully permitted and approved. BPVS has helped pave the way for PV acceptance by installing the first (and often second, third and fourth) solar electric systems in over 90 jurisdictions and several utility territories. Many of the systems featured on this site were funded in part by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund Programs. BPVS has provided design and installation support for Electric Utilities, National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), Department of Energy (DOE), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant recipients and research programs.

Our mission is to provide safe, efficient and durable PV Systems.

About SCHOTT Solar

SCHOTT Solar, with its high quality products, enables the potential of the sun as a nearly inexhaustible source of energy to be utilized. SCHOTT Solar produces important components for photovoltaic applications and solar energy power plants. In the production of receivers for solar power plants, SCHOTT Solar sees itself as a market and technology leader. Receivers from SCHOTT Solar are key components in large-scale power plants that generate electricity from solar energy centrally on the basis of parabolic trough technology and are able to supply entire cities with power. SCHOTT Solar has production facilities in Germany, the Czech Republic, the USA and Spain. The innovative power and technological competence of the company dates back to the late 1950s. SCHOTT Solar is a wholly owned subsidiary of the international SCHOTT group. SCHOTT develops special materials, components and systems for the household appliance, pharmaceutical, solar energy, electronics, optical and automotive industries. With approximately 17,000 employees producing worldwide sales of approximately $3 billion. In North America, SCHOTT's holding company SCHOTT Corporation and its subsidiary SCHOTT North America, Inc. and their affiliates employ about 3,000 people in 14 production operations with 6 sales offices.

The company's technological and economic expertise is closely linked with its social and ecological responsibilities.

SOURCE SCHOTT Solar PV, Inc.