Solar skyline in charlotte

We’re thrilled to report the arrival of two Spotlight Solar structures in downtown Charlotte.  We’ve always said that solar should be more visible.  This ought to do it.

Local TV liked it enough to run three features.  Thanks!

WCNC-TV – Solar Trees added to Uptown Charlotte
WSOC-TV – Crews finish installing solar panels on Discovery Place building
News 14 – Solar Trees planted in Uptown Charlotte

Many thanks to the innovative people at Discovery Place, the science museum hosting this installation (circular glass building). They do great service to the community in all that they do, and this latest contribution will bring greater awareness of solar energy – and a wow factor – to the residents of Charlotte, NC.

The orange “solar tree” (as the press calls them) is oriented toward the summer sun, high in the sky, while the blue one is optimized for winter production. Visitors to Discovery Place will see these on the edge of the parking deck, and find energy production data on a touch-screen display inside the museum (in the glass atrium you see above). They will also learn about the effect of the angle of the sun and shade (the Bank of America Center shades for a while around midday in the winter). Visitors will learn about solar as a clean energy source, and will remember Discovery Place as a fun place to learn new things.

Kudos to Southern Energy Management, our solar integrator partner. Not only did they recognize the promise of visible, attractive solar, they also found a way to accomplish the primary installation work in four hours! They are a great team of committed experts who always do it right, and who have shared and nurtured our vision of great-looking solar.  And thanks as well to Bosch Solar, who donated 24 solar panels for this innovative installation. The City of Charlotte deserves credit as well for supporting this novel installation as part of their Power2Charlotte initiative, furthering their claim to the title City of Energy and complementing the comprehensive Envision Charlotte sustainability program.

An installation on top of a parking deck is unique for Spotlight; normally, our structures live on the ground.  But we’re really excited that well over a million people a year will see these intriguing solar structures each year, in the middle of a bustling city.  More pictures here.