WEST ORANGE, N.J.—The Inn at the Manor, a 128-suite Marriott Residence Inn, has completed the installation of a solar electric generating system. The solar arrays are installed on southeast and southwest facing roofs, and include 700 Sharp and Sanyo photovoltaic modules. The Solar Center, a Denville, N.J.-based solar energy company, was selected to design and install the 108 kW system.
“The system was recently started and it worked flawlessly,” says Dennis Wilson, the president of The Solar Center. “Over the system’s 30-plus-years lifespan, it will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 3,000 tons, equivalent to planting 43 acres of trees or permanently removing 400 cars from the road annually.”
“We’re delighted to be the first hotel in New Jersey to go solar,” says Kurt Knowles, Jr., representing ownership of The Inn at The Manor. “In addition to locking in the cost of a portion of our electric needs for the next 30 years, we are doing our part to combat global warming and reduce our country’s dependence on imported oil. We believe that all responsible businesses should be looking at investment opportunities in renewable energy systems and increased energy efficiency.”
Financial Assistance Received
The solar electric system is partially funded by the New Jersey Clean Energy Program (NJCEP) and will allow The Inn at the Manor to meet approximately 20 percent of the hotel’s electrical requirements.
“The NJCEP rebate combined with federal tax incentives enacted in 2005 made the project attractive,” Kurt Knowles says.
New Jersey is the leading East Coast state committed to encouraging distributed energy technologies like solar energy, and in April of 2006 endorsed a goal of achieving the equivalent of 1500 MW of solar electric capacity by 2020.
“As the first system installed at a Garden State hotel, the Marriott Residence Inn of West Orange represents a landmark in the installation of photovoltaic solar panels in New Jersey,” says New Jersey Board of Public Utilities President Jeanne M. Fox. “This project is an illustration of how New Jersey is leading the nation in clean energy investments by setting strong standards and providing leadership and incentives to help drive investment in renewable energy. Additionally, the installation provides a tremendous opportunity to reduce greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, which leads to climate changes and rising sea levels.”
Go to the Inn at the Manor.
