Project Data

End-User:   Turtle & Hughes

Installer: SM Electric

Location: Linden, NJ

Date of install:  June 2007 – Nov 2007

Size of system in kW: 255kW

Energy produced since installation

Special Challenges Met: 1) Building had to be re-roofed

2) 208V Building needing larger wire size    3) Employed Interns from NJIT to layout mounting hardware 4) Tight deadline for installation due to rebate sunset.

Project Brief

Turtle & Hughes, headquartered in Linden, New Jersey, is a $303,000,000 multi-commodity procurement organization with a distribution center, seven additional branch locations, and 18 managed storerooms in the United State serving the industrial, automation, construction, commercial, electrical contracting, export, utility and data communications markets. Turtle Energy designed a Photovoltaic system to be installed at the headquarters in Linden using SM Electric (Union Contractor) who teamed with IBEW (local 102).

Turtle Energy undertook a detailed analysis of the site. This analysis was comprised of the following steps and implementation.

Shading Analysis

Optimal System Design and Concept Planning

Industrial Design of the Components of the System

Multi-Disciplinary Coordination with Architects, Structural Engineers, Electrical Engineers, and Construction Management.

The building had a roof that had to be replaced prior to the installation of a Photovoltaic system and the roofing company was required warrantee the roof with the PV system on it. Turtle Energy engaged Harrison Hamnett, PC to verify compatibility of the roofing structure with the proposed Photovoltaic system. The system design was complicated by the fact that the building is 208V and this affects the size of the wire needed. Turtle Energy managed the installation of the mounting hardware and PV panels, the labor source employed for the summer were interns from New Jersey Institute of Technology who were Architecture majors. The project was on a tight deadline due to the rebate sunset.

The project commenced in June of 2007 and the system was commissioned in November of 2007. The size of the PV system for Turtle & Hughes is 255kW.

Fat Spaniel’s integrated Satcon inverter direct internet-based monitoring system was implemented and Fat Spaniel data acquisition illustrations show snapshots of the actual energy generation by the PV system for Turtle & Hughes. These measurements are in compliance with the predicted analysis done by TurtleEnergy and in some cases slightly exceed the target energy output range. Data monitoring results are available both on a real-time and historical basis. Measurements can be viewed on daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or lifetime intervals. The installed PV system has successfully helped reduce the on-grid energy usage.

For additional information on product specifications see the appropriate cut sheets listed below.

Satcon 225kw Inverter

Schott 330w Module

Schott Solar FS Mounting System

Fat Spaniel (remote monitoring system)

Multi-Contact Connectors

ILSCO Direct Bury Grounding Lugs

The New Jersey Clean Energy Program and Turtle & Hughes, Inc are in partnership constructing a 250kW Solar Electric System on the rooftop of 1900 Lower Road, Linden New Jersey. The project will generate 270,000 kWh from available sunlight per year and produce over half of the building's electricity needs. 800 Solar Panels generate 320W of electricity each and are mounted on penetrationless metal mounts on the roof and have a warranted life of 20 years. Electrical System: The building's electrical system will have a 225kW inverter interconnected on the customer side of the meter at the AC bus of the Switchgear. The Inverter is designed (as required by U L 1741) to cease operation within 2 cycles of a power outage. This prevents the possibility of the solar array harming a linesman who may be attending to the cause of the outage. The overcurrent protection devices in the system are sized according to National Electrical Code and the system is certified by Underwriters Laboratories. Mounting Structure: The mounting system for the solar panels is designed to support the solar panels on the roof without requiring attachment to the roof structure. This is possible with research and development of the mounting system in a wind tunnel under the supervision of civil and aeronautical engineers (see letter from Civil Engineer regarding the code compliance of the mounting structure for wind resistance).