Yonkers, NY-based auto dealer Smith Cairns Ford Lincoln Mazda Subaru is turning to solar to save on its energy bills. Working with leading solar energy company, Standard Solar, the dealer installed a 1,272 panel, 394 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic (PV) system. In addition to the 253kW array on its rooftop, the system also features two solar carports totaling 141 kW. The system was completed in October.The rooftop and carport arrays, expected to produce approximately 472,000 kilowatt-hours of power per year, cover 100 percent of the dealer’s energy needs. The V-shaped carport arrays are rain and snow-proof, protecting the dealership’s auto inventory and providing a clean and dry environment for prospective buyers. The project also includes an electric vehicle (EV) charging station to support its EV inventory and EV customers.
“For more than 50 years, Dwight McGuirk and his family have been part of the economic engine in America, providing jobs and spurring development,” said Rick Berube, chief operating officer, Standard Solar. “The decision for Dwight to install solar is another example of how small business owners continue to contribute to our economy and how it correlates to the success story of the solar industry in the U.S.” The project was funded through a capital lease and received a Performance Based Incentive (PBI) from New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) through the NY Sun Initiative – Commercial & Industrial Megawatt Block Inventive Program.
