The photovoltaic system will use SANYO’s world-leading conversion efficiency solar modules and SANYO’s newly developed “Smart Energy System” featuring large-scale lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. The announcement marks the first time that SANYO’s large-scale lithium-ion battery storage system will be installed in a new commercial building in combination with the SANYO solar panels in the United States. The Oregon Sustainability Center aims to have 100% of the energy used by the facility produced by renewable energy sources. To accomplish this goal, the center will install a 679-kW solar system featuring SANYO HIT Power® and SANYO HIT® Double solar panels, using wafers manufactured from SANYO’s Salem Plant, SANYO Solar of Oregon, LLC., allowing for maximum power distribution per square foot.
“The Oregon Sustainability Center is proactive in their use of green building materials, and the choice of SANYO HIT modules makes sense, as they are perfect for these types of powerful rooftop system installations, where space is limited,” said Charles Hanasaki, president of the Solar and Smart Energy Division. “We value our partnership with InSpec because they share our vision of helping customers to achieve a reduction in energy consumption from non-renewable sources and improving efficiency of energy used.”
Yasuyoshi Kawanishi, president of SANYO Solar of Oregon, LLC, added, “Living in Oregon, our engineers are inspired by sustainability, and it makes us proud that our work is becoming a part of Oregon, especially in a landmark building like the Oregon Sustainability Center.”
InSpec worked with SANYO to propose the solar power generation and battery storage system for the facility. InSpec is the project manager for the energy systems, and will be leading each step from procurement to installation to ensuring successful equipment operation. Specific activities overseen by the company include the procurement of the various parts necessary for the systems, such as solar panels, batteries, as well as the racking and inverter systems, the design and installation of the system in the facility and the final checks to ensure proper system operation.
“With our roots in Portland, being able to actively participate in making our community more sustainable is something to be proud of,” said Doug Smith, Partner and Chief Financial Officer of InSpec Group. He added, “This system is unique, as it will be SANYO’s first commercial advanced battery storage system installed together with such a large solar power generation system in North America, and it marks another step forward for InSpec in delivering energy solutions.”
Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber said, “We are honored that a global leader in energy sustainability, like SANYO, has made this commitment to Oregon and to the Oregon Sustainability Center. SANYO’s investment will not only help Oregon continue to lead the way in sustainability but will also create manufacturing and construction jobs in the state, which will help ensure our continued economic recovery.”
The Oregon Sustainability Center is planned to be a future home to Oregon’s leaders in sustainable business, government, and education. The structure is designed to be the greenest high-rise ever built, with locally-sourced building materials , its own energy generation and ways to collect and treat water on-site, qualifying it for Living Building Challenge certification, which requires meeting net-zero energy and water performance as well as toxin free, locally-sourced materials. The Oregon Sustainability Center will be a showcase for green building, green business and community development. The building will demonstrate sustainable practices and will offer ways to connect the community to state and local sustainability resources, including green job training opportunities.
“We welcome SANYO’s leading technology and its partnership with InSpec to the Oregon Sustainability Center. At the OSC, innovation and collaboration will be central to both the building’s operations, and the workforce training and job development that will result from OSC’s research and commercialization programs,” said Portland Mayor Sam Adams.
InSpec Group is an innovative multi-disciplinary engineering and construction group providing facility and energy solutions to customers across the nation from offices on the US West Coast, southeastern US and the American heartland as well as Tokyo, Japan. In addition to its PV solar integration business, InSpec Group has project expertise throughout the entire supply chain of Energy Solutions industries, including advanced materials such as polysilicon, single-crystalline silicon wafers, chemicals and aviation-grade composites.
HIT® stands for Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer. HIT® solar cells employ a proprietary technology developed by SANYO whereby hybrid solar cells composed of single crystalline silicon wafers are surrounded by ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers. The unique structure minimizes defects within the p/n junction of the cell, producing highly efficient cells capable of achieving up to 17.8% module efficiency while producing more power even at higher temperatures.
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. is a global leading company providing solutions for energy, environment and lifestyle applications. The Energy System Solutions Division of SANYO North America Corporation, a subsidiary of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., is headquartered in San Jose, California, and handles sales and services for photovoltaic and Smart Energy Systems.
