Benjamin Moore To Power NJ-Based R&D Center With Solar Installation Developed by Constellation Energy
November 19 2010 - 10:03AM
Business Wire
Benjamin Moore and Constellation Energy are nearing completion
of a new solar power system that is expected to generate 68 percent
of the electricity needs for Benjamin Moore’s 80,000 sq. ft.
product development center and testing laboratories. The solar
power system at the company’s Flanders, NJ, R&D facility
comprises 8,600 crystalline photovoltaic solar panels, making it
one of the largest on-site solar power systems in the state. The
system is expected to begin producing electricity by year’s
end.
Benjamin Moore & Co., a Berkshire Hathaway company
(NYSE:BRK.A), teamed with the retail division of Constellation
Energy (NYSE: CEG) to develop the 1.7-megawatt system. Under a
20-year solar power purchase agreement, Benjamin Moore is providing
the land and will purchase all of the electricity from the solar
panels. Constellation Energy will build, own and maintain the
system.
"Benjamin Moore proudly wears the mantle of product innovator
while embracing a stringent commitment to our planet—working
diligently to ensure that our products and operations minimally
impact the environment,” said Denis Abrams, chairman, president and
CEO of Benjamin Moore & Co. “Now we are embracing a commitment
to renewable energy through our joint endeavor with Constellation
Energy. We know that no one action or company will create the
single solution to our energy needs. But this installation by
Constellation Energy for Benjamin Moore, on our property,
contributes to the overall global solution of sustainable energy
resources that are sorely needed.”
The long-term solar power purchase agreement structure enables
Benjamin Moore to undertake renewable energy generation with no
upfront capital expenditure. Depending on conditions, the system is
expected to produce nearly 2,230,000 kilowatt hours of electricity
each year, enough to supply 68 percent of the electricity of the
facility. Benjamin Moore and Constellation Energy are also
exploring new energy conservation measures at the Flanders site to
further reduce the facility’s overall electricity usage so that it
can rely almost exclusively on the power generated by the solar
array.
"Constellation Energy is a national leader in bringing
innovative and cost-effective renewable energy solutions directly
to commercial customers," said Michael D. Smith, senior vice
president of green initiatives for Constellation Energy’s retail
business. "To make this work you need the vision, expertise, and
commitment of companies like Benjamin Moore and Constellation
Energy, combined with public support and the commitment of state,
federal and local government leaders. Moving to a sustainable
energy future is a shared effort, and we’re proud to help in the
expansion of solar energy in the U.S."
The project is the first of its kind to be located in the New
Jersey Highlands region under a recently enacted state law.
Constellation Energy and Benjamin Moore worked closely with state
and community authorities to ensure that the solar installation
fully met the open space and water drainage requirements of the
Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act of 2004 which needed to
be amended to accommodate this project. The system design was
adjusted to shift more than 1,500 photovoltaic panels from an open
field on the property to a newly installed roof structure over the
facility’s existing parking lot. The final design preserves more
open space on Benjamin Moore’s land while providing shade for
parked vehicles. The parking structure will also include recharging
stations for electric vehicles.
Constellation Energy estimates that using non-renewable sources
to generate the same amount of electricity expected to be produced
by the new solar installation would result in the release of more
than 1,600 metric tons of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, or the
equivalent emissions from more than 300 passenger vehicles
annually. The system is the latest example of Benjamin Moore’s
commitment to sustainability, which includes delivering safer,
sustainable products to its customers.
About Constellation Energy
Constellation Energy (www.constellation.com) is a leading
supplier of energy products and services to wholesale and retail
electric and natural gas customers. It owns a diversified fleet of
generating units located in the United States and Canada, totaling
approximately 9,000 megawatts of generating capacity, and is among
the leading advocates for the development of new nuclear plants in
the United States. The company delivers electricity and natural gas
through the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), its regulated
utility in Central Maryland. A FORTUNE 500 company headquartered in
Baltimore, Constellation Energy had revenues of $15.6 billion in
2009.
About Benjamin Moore
Benjamin Moore & Co., a Berkshire Hathaway company, was
founded in 1883. One of the country’s leading manufacturers of
premium quality residential, commercial and industrial maintenance
coatings, its products are distributed via a network of independent
paint and decorating retailers throughout North America. Benjamin
Moore has been a longstanding steward of the environment with a
relentless commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices plus
the ongoing development of the most eco-responsible formulations
possible. Its portfolio of Green Promise® products continues to
grow and includes Aura, über-performance low-VOC paint; Natura, the
true zero-VOC interior paint, remaining zero after tinting in any
color, any sheen; and EcoSpec zero-VOC paint for commercial
interiors. What’s more, the Benjamin Moore color offering of 3,300
hues is unrivaled, but any custom color choice can be matched, as
was recently done for the White House Oval Office ceiling and
trims. The only assurance of getting an authentic Benjamin Moore
color is using Benjamin Moore paint, since the colorants and resins
are proprietary and formulated with the company’s own patented
waterborne technologies. And, authentic Benjamin Moore colors are
available exclusively from Benjamin Moore retailers.
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