BUFFALO, NY--Tesla Inc. has kicked off production of its long-awaited electricity-producing shingles that Elon Musk says will transform the rooftop solar industry. Manufacturing of the photovoltaic glass tiles began last month at a factory here built with backing from New York State, the company said in an email Tuesday.
HAGERSTOWN, MD—Volvo Group has installed a 5,000-panel solar canopy in the parking lot of its power train assembly plant here. The canopy will produce 1.3 megawatts of electricity for the facility.
WARREN, MI—General Motors is collaborating with DTE Energy to build a new 800-kilowatt solar array at its Warren Transmission plant here. The 2,800 solar panels will generate clean electricity that will go back to the grid.
HAGERSTOWN, MD—Volvo Group North America has installed 5,000 solar panels at its power train assembly plant here. The company erected a canopy of solar panels above its parking lot to generate approximately 1.3 megawatts of electricity, enough power for 200 homes.
Manufacturers are pursuing a wide variety of “green” initiatives, such as energy-efficient lighting, landfill gas, recycling, solar panels and wind turbines. In fact, more than one-half of our 2014 State of the Profession respondents claim their plant has implemented green-related programs during the past 12 months. That’s a 3 percentage point increase over 2013 and 8 percentage points higher than 2012.
The General Motors’ Orion Assembly Plant sits in the shadow of a large landfill. But, the 4-million-square foot factory, which is home to the Chevrolet Sonic and the Buick Verano, uses that to its advantage. The plant derives a significant portion of its power from landfill gas.
ALTONA, Australia—Toyota has installed a 500-kilowatt photovoltaic system on the roof of its assembly plant here. The 2,000-panel system will provide approximately 10 percent of the factory’s energy needs.
CLAYTON, NC—PCX Corp., a manufacturer of electrical power systems, has successfully commissioned a 500-kilowatt rooftop photovoltaic system at its assembly plant here.
