Suniva Powers Largest Rooftop Solar System in Florida

April 30, 2015 | By Business Wire News

NORCROSS, Ga.

Suniva, Inc., a U.S. manufacturer of high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells and modules, today announced that it is powering the largest rooftop solar system in Florida. The energy generated from the array, designed and installed by Tampa-based Solar Energy Management (SEM) with ARCO/Murray Construction Company as the General Contractor, is slated to decrease the facility’s power costs by ninety percent.

Suniva’s high-powered Optimus 330W modules were used for the 1.5MW solar installation for Great Bay Distributors, an independently family-owned business and Florida’s largest distributor of Anheuser-Busch products. The company will also use part of the 246,000-square-foot commercial building to house their new headquarters. The Suniva modules are just one American component of this notable project as Great Bay CEO, Ron Petrini, insisted that the entire project be American-made.

“Powering the largest rooftop solar system in ‘The Sunshine State’ is gratifying,” said Matt Card, vice president of global sales and marketing of Suniva. “Our roots are in the Southeast U.S., so it’s great to be part of such a notable project in Florida. It’s impressive to see the commitment that Great Bay Distributors has in both promoting responsible clean energy generation and supporting other American businesses.”

“Suniva’s American heritage, and its high-power modules are the perfect fit for this particular project, which is the largest of its kind in Florida,” said Scott McIntyre, CEO, Solar Energy Management.

ARCO/Murray, a turnkey design and construction solutions company based in Florida, was the builder for the commercial warehouse. In addition to the 1.5MW solar system, the building contains several other energy saving features such as LED lighting, insulated concrete tilt-wall panels, and natural gas water heaters and generators.

“We were fortunate to work with a family ownership group in Great Bay that was willing to consider every option in the design of this project,” said Brad Dalbol, director of operations for ARCO/Murray. “Our design/build approach allowed us to analyze all project aspects, including the feasibility of a solar installation and associated componentry which led us to the ideal partners in Suniva and SEM.”

About Suniva

Suniva® is the leading American manufacturer of high-efficiency crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) solar cells and high-power solar modules. The company is known for its high-quality products, industry-leading technology, reliability and high power density. Headquartered in metro-Atlanta, Georgia, and with manufacturing facilities in Georgia and Michigan, Suniva sells its advanced PV cells and modules globally. For additional information on how Suniva is making solar sensible, visit www.suniva.com.