Global Solar Energy LLC (Wheat Ridge, CO) has designed and installed a photovoltaic (PV) canopy that generates power while shielding up to 20 buses from the sun. Global Solar completed the canopy in March 2004 for the Antelope Valley Transit Authority, which provides bus service in the high desert communities of Antelope Valley, CA.
The system will generate 190,000 kWh of power a year, reducing the authority's electric bills while providing shade in an environment where summer temperatures exceed 100 °F. The canopy, which covers nearly 11,000 ft², includes 405 ASE 300/DGF modules, a Xantrex PV100208 dc-ac inverter, and a 125 kVA 208/480 step-up isolation transformer. The roof is composed entirely of solar panels, allowing the transit authority to maximize the rebate benefits available for PV structures. The system will effectively offset the production of more than 200,000 pounds of greenhouse gasses each year.
