Jersey Gardens deploys 4.8 megawatt rooftop solar power system

New York City -- Glimcher Realty Trust announced the completion of a 4.8-megawatt rooftop solar system at Jersey Gardens in Elizabeth, N.J. The project, which ranks among the largest rooftop systems in North America, broke ground in June 2011 and began producing power this week.



The Jersey Gardens solar system was designed and installed, and will be maintained, by SunPower Corp. The system uses the SunPower T5 Solar Roof Tile, the solar industry’s first non-penetrating rooftop product that combines a high-efficiency solar panel, frame and mounting system into a single, pre-engineered unit. Tilted at a five-degree angle, the system will approximately double the energy generated per square meter, compared with other systems that are mounted flat onto commercial rooftops.



The project is comprised of more than 15,000 high efficiency SunPower panels, and generates approximately the amount of power required for 564 New Jersey homes. It is expected to generate the equivalent of 11% of the mall’s electrical demand.



Jersey Gardens is the largest outlet mall in New Jersey. It was built by Glimcher Realty Trust in 1999 on the site of a former landfill.



The solar power system at Jersey Gardens was made possible through a partnership with Gerding Edlen Development and Gerding Edlen Sustainable Solutions, a subsidiary of Gerding Edlen and expert in sustainable development, renewable energy and financing.



This project is the result of a power purchase agreement between Glimcher Realty Trust and Clean Focus Corp. Under the agreement, Clean Focus financed and owns the system. All solar renewable energy credits and environmental benefits associated with the system will be owned by Clean Focus. Jersey Gardens will buy the electricity at a predetermined, predictable price, providing a long-term hedge against rising power prices with no initial capital investment.