Sol Inc. (“Sol”), a subsidiary of Carmanah Technologies Corporation
(TSX:CMH)(“Carmanah”), today announced its first installation for
the City of Aurora, Colorado, one of many projects in the state
bolstering solar technology as a viable, sustainable solution for
outdoor municipal lighting that works where traditional products
aren’t an option.
As part of a more sustainable master plan for Sand Creek Park,
the City of Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space department
installed EverGen solar lighting systems in Discovery Playground.
“We’ve seen a lot of clients more interested in solar because of
the opportunity to show efforts towards being greener and having
projects that can generate their own power,” said Nicole Horst,
principal for Wenk Landscape Architecture & Planning, which
designed the Sand Creek project. “I think over time, we’ll see more
people using [solar lighting].”
These are the most recent solar lights the City of Aurora has
installed. “A standard lighting solution was too costly given the
location of Sand Creek Park, and we’re always looking for ways to
include more sustainable and environmentally friendly amenities in
our parks,” said Ed Shalkey, Project Manager for the City of Aurora
Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department. “Our general
contractor suggested we check out Sol because he had recently
installed Sol’s lights elsewhere. I went and looked at the light
and said, that’s just what we need.”
The recently launched EverGen M Series features Sol’s new and
unique energy management system—or electronic “brain.” This
improved technology processes solar power so efficiently, it allows
for a more compact system, which reduces the overall system costs
while still meeting municipal lighting requirements. This means
that in more northern states like Colorado, solar lighting for
parks or streets is more viable than ever before.
Colorado is maintaining its role as a strong proponent of
renewable energy and has the potential for further growth, with the
state ranking seventh for clean technology activities, according to
the 2017 U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index. Sol has deployed more
than 300 solar lighting systems across Colorado, from Arvada to
Wray.
“We are happy to see this continuing trend for projects in
Colorado. It’s often assumed that solar won’t work unless you live
in perennially sunny states like California or Texas, but we’ve
proven with past projects that solar is viable for many
locations—and we build our systems to last,” said Mimi Drabit,
Division Manager for Sol.
The proof of viability can be seen in projects like the 71 Sol
park lights installed beginning in 2007 in Wray, Colorado, to light
a multi-use pathway along the Republican River. Today, these lights
are still operating with minimal maintenance: in 10 years, only
some battery replacements have been required.
“Everything is still working. We even went through a traumatic
hail storm, and there was no damage to the solar panels. Sol’s
lights have saved me a lot of time on maintenance—I can go and do
other projects around the city,” said Lee Tufton, City of Wray
Electrical Lineman Supervisor, who handles the maintenance for city
lighting. “Trying to get in all these lights with the utility would
have been a nightmare; trenching all along the river, high water
levels, tree limbs, cleanup afterwards—it saved my department a lot
of time.”
James DePue, City Manager for Wray, said that the City often
thinks outside the box for solutions. “Our community has had a long
history of exploring innovative ideas, from Sol solar lighting to a
wind turbine that the community put together. We work hard to
educate our customers and our constituency about the importance of
energy efficiency. At the City, we’re also looking at what the most
efficient use of our resources is and how we can continue to
challenge the status quo.”
For photos:
https://solarlighting.com/media-colorado/
For more information:
https://solarlighting.com/AuroraCO
https://solarlighting.com/WrayCO
https://solarlighting.com/community-benefits/
About Sol Inc.
Sol Inc., a subsidiary of Carmanah Technologies, is a global
leader in solar-powered commercial outdoor LED lighting solutions.
Since 1990, we have installed 80,000+ systems in more than 60
countries. Whether for cities, militaries, or commercial
properties, we believe there is no substitute for lighting that is
engineered smart, built tough, and accurately sized. We are
committed to providing reliable, cost-effective products that offer
guaranteed performance and peace of mind. Our solutions for local
& collector streets, pathways & parks, parking lots,
perimeter, and general area lighting ensure any project application
can include a better commercial light in a smarter solar
package.
About Carmanah Technologies Corporation
Carmanah Technologies Corporation provides signaling and solar
lighting solutions for infrastructure projects around the world.
With over 400,000 installations in 110 countries, we are in your
community—in the street lights on your block, the school zones in
your neighborhood, and the regional airport in your town. We have
built a global reputation for delivering innovative,
cost-effective, and long-lasting solar solutions that offer cost
savings and ensure environmental sensitivity. Established in 1996,
Carmanah is now a community of companies, including Sabik, Sol,
Vega, and Etka, which each offer energy optimized LED solutions
that are built to perform in some of the world’s harshest and most
remote environments—while also working close to home.
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Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1722853c-c05d-403b-809e-aff11bb5adac
Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7c903ba5-c9bd-4695-b6eb-922eb7e1739b
Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9215fb24-463b-47fa-bc97-33fb4f1f439a
Andrea Corno
Sol by Carmanah
media@solarlighting.com