SUMMIT, NJ-- Schering-Plough Corporation welcomed local and state officials, and a class of fifth graders, to celebrate the completion of a 1.7-megawatt solar energy system. With panels located atop seven buildings at the company's Summit site, the system is one of the largest photovoltaic rooftop installations in New Jersey and North America.
Chairman and CEO Fred Hassan symbolically activated the system by flipping a 6-foot light switch.
In conjunction with the activation proceedings, a class of fifth graders from Washington School in Summit participated in a hands-on lesson held in a newly designed eco-focused "green room." Students learned about the science behind energy production and various ways to conserve resources.
The solar energy system is the latest high-profile component in Schering-Plough's global energy management program, which builds from a foundation of energy conservation. The company was recently named a 2009 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for outstanding energy management and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
The rooftop solar system is owned and will be operated by PPL Renewable Energy, which will sell the power to Schering-Plough. It is anticipated that the system will provide up to 12 percent of the site's peak energy needs and reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 1.3 million pounds each year, the equivalent to planting 123 acres of pine forest.
In addition to generating power, the project creates a Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC), a tradable certificate representing all the clean energy benefits of the electricity generated from a solar electric system. PPL EnergyPlus, PPL's trading and marketing subsidiary, purchases the SREC generated by this project as part of a coordinated effort to increase development of renewable energy projects.
Schering-Plough Corporation
www.schering-plough.com
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