advanced search

IBEW Local One Electricians Complete Missouri’s Largest Solar Energy Array

Nov 9, 2010 10:04 AM

$500,000 installation of 416 solar panels projected to slash annual energy bills from $36,000 to $1,500

With the flip of a switch, St. Louis chemical distributor Walsh & Associates, Inc. realized a years-in-the-making dream to slash energy costs at its 88,000-sq-ft warehouse. The switch activated the largest solar array ever built in Missouri, generating power from 416 roof-top solar panels. Installed by electricians from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local One , the solar array is expected to reduce Walsh’s annual energy bill from $36,000 to $1,500.

“This culminates an eight-year effort to make our warehouse more energy efficient,” says Randall Lewis, Walsh director of operations. “We’ve been cutting power consumption over the years by upgrading to more energy-efficient systems. Federal stimulus funding and passage of the Missouri Proposition C Clean Energy Initiative in 2008 spurred additional investment in solar panels to drastically cut our energy costs.”

Walsh estimates the solar installation will pay for itself in five years through a combination of Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) and credits from Ameren through net metering. Net metering allows entities with renewable energy systems to earn money or credit from utility companies for the energy they produce.

“During fall and other times of the year when air conditioning is not required, the panels can produce more power than our building needs,” says Lewis. “That excess is returned to the grid for Ameren to use, giving us a credit. We estimate that over the anticipated 25-year life span of the solar panels we could realize a return of investment of an additional $500,000 or even more if electrical rates increase. But to achieve that kind of return on our investment, we needed to make sure the panels were installed properly. That’s why we went with an IBEW Local One contractor.”

Each panel contains a Tigo Energy module that allows Walsh to remotely monitor the effectiveness of each panel. “It requires not only a thorough understanding of how inverters convert DC power into AC power, but requires skill to match the amplitude of the AC sine wave that Ameren has on the grid so the net metering can accurately measure power produced and used,” says Mike Meyers, an IBEW Local One electrician who worked on the project. “Without that precision, Walsh can’t optimize its investment in the panels.”

Designed by Straight up Solar, St. Louis, the solar installation was managed by Bell Electrical Contractors using four IBEW Local One electricians. It consists of 32 strings of panels with 13 panels on each string. Each string can produce 480V.The array covers 10,000 sq ft of roof and can produce 130,000kV to 135,000kV annually.

“Renewable energy installations are becoming increasingly complex as businesses seek a greater return on investment,” says Stephen P. Schoemehl, business manager for IBEW Local One. “So we’re keeping pace by emphasizing renewable energy installations at the Electrical Industry Training Center where Local One electricians are trained and upgrade skills.” The training center is operated by the Electrical Connection, a partnership of Local One and the St. Louis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractor’s Association (NECA).

Want to use this article? Click here for options!

© 2012 Penton Business Media, Inc.

---

Acceptable Use Policy blog comments powered by Disqus

Browse Back Issues Select an Issue EC&M Magazine | April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 1, 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 1, 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 1, 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 1, 2006 May 1, 2006 April 2006 March 1, 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 1, 2004 January 1, 2004 December 1, 2003 November 1, 2003 October 1, 2003 September 1, 2003 August 1, 2003 July 1, 2003 June 1, 2003 May 1, 2003 April 1, 2003 March 1, 2003 February 1, 2003 January 1, 2003 December 1, 2002 November 1, 2002 October 1, 2002 September 1, 2002 August 1, 2002 July 1, 2002 June 1, 2002 May 1, 2002 April 1, 2002 March 1, 2002 February 1, 2002 January 1, 2002 December 1, 2001 November 1, 2001 October 1, 2001 September 1, 2001 August 1, 2001 July 1, 2001 June 1, 2001 May 1, 2001 April 1, 2001 March 1, 2001 February 1, 2001 February 1, 1995 January 1, 2001 December 1, 2000 November 1, 2000 October 1, 2000 September 1, 2000 August 1, 2000 July 1, 2000 June 1, 2000 May 1, 2000 April 1, 2000 March 1, 2000 February 1, 2000 January 1, 2000 December 1, 1999 November 1, 1999 October 1, 1999 September 1, 1999 August 1, 1999 July 1, 1999 June 1, 1999 May 1, 1999 April 1, 1999 March 1, 1999 February 1, 1999 January 1, 1999 December 1, 1998 November 1, 1998 October 1, 1998 September 1, 1998 August 1, 1998 July 1, 1998 June 1, 1998 May 1, 1998 April 1, 1998 March 1, 1998 February 1, 1998 January 1, 1998 December 1, 1997 November 1, 1997 December 1, 1996 November 1, 1996 October 1, 1996 September 1, 1996 August 1, 1996 July 1, 1996 June 1, 1996 May 1, 1996 April 1, 1996 March 1, 1996 February 1, 1996 January 1, 1996 December 1, 1995 November 30, 1995 November 1, 1995 October 1, 1995 September 1, 1995 August 1, 1995 July 1, 1995 June 1, 1995 May 1, 1995 April 1, 1995 March 1, 1995

browse e-newsletters