Solar Photovoltaic Array Solar System
Dow Event Center Receives Demonstration Solar Project Grant
Saginaw County Energy Efficient Infrastructure
July 24, 2011
By: Josh Sharrow
The County of Saginaw was awarded a $340,900 grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in March of 2011.
HUD approved this grant as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) by which HUD was authorized funding for certain specific Economic Development Initiative Special Projects under their Energy Efficiency Community Block Grant Program.
The grant was approved for the purposes of an energy efficient infrastructure demonstration project to support the renaissance of downtown Saginaw. The demonstration project awarded was a Solar Photovoltaic Array System to be installed on the south facing wall of The Dow Event Center Arena.
While roof top and land located solar panel arrays have in the past been the most common distribution of solar panels; recent success has proven successful on wall mounted structures that face south. Michigan's location dictates the sun predominately crosses the horizon on a southerly east to west arc.
HUD believed that this new technology together with the demonstration qualities of its downtown location were worthy of funding.
The $340,900 budget is approved for three areas in the following amounts:
Photo-Panels - $273,120
Engineering - $31,500
Construction - $36,280
The Photo-Panels and Construction are being provided by the most qualified and low bidder of J. Ranck Electric, INC. The two largest solar arrays in the State were among J. Ranck Electric recent works. The Engineering is being done by William A. Kibbe & Associates, INC of Saginaw, Michigan. Both firms will be coordinating the project through SMG, The Dow Event Center's management company.
Work on the installation part of the project is expected to commence in early August by J. Ranck Electric Inc., and be complete and operational by the end of August. Visitors of The Dow Event Center will be able to learn all about the solar panels at an interactive kiosk in the lobby of the Event Center. This kiosk will also display information about the amount of energy the panels are producing on the spot as well as over periods of time.
The panels themselves will be connected to the facility's power grid and is expected to save between $3,000 and $4,000 in electrical cost annually.