A worldwide corporation focused on sustainable energy is investing half a million dollars in the Upstate to improve its green footprint.
Driving along I-85 near the BMW plant, you may have noticed these new solar panels. And even on a cloudy day like today, they are still producing green energy.
“We consume a lot of energy. It's like having a city of 8,000 residents.”
The BMW plant in the Upstate is always looking for ways to be green.
“We generate roughly about 50 percent of the energy that we use on our site.”
Cleve Beaufort is the Energy Manager for BMW North America. The company's latest effort involves this large solar panel array.
“We're expanding the use of renewable energy sources and the sun is an excellent source of energy. Each panel has the generating capacity in terms of electricity roughly about 240 watts per panel,” explains Beaufort.
400 of these solar panels take the sun's energy and convert it into power for the Zentrum Museum.
“We have to convert it from D/C to A/C power. That way we can power the computers, the lights, and the HVAC equipment.”
The 24,000 square foot visitor's center now runs on green power. But that's not the only thing these panels are powering...
“We incorporated the installation of three electric vehicle charging stations, just to show that we are definitely serious about our sustainability efforts.”
Although BMW is still a year away from introducing its plug-in hybrid, these charging stations are 100 percent green.
“This is just the beginning of bigger and better things to come.”
The solar panels were constructed in partnership with Southern Energy Management and Sunstore Solar in Greenville.
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