Granite Commissions One of Nation's First Solar-Powered Construction Materials Facilities
WATSONVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Granite Construction Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Granite
Construction Incorporated (NYSE: GVA), announced today that one of its
asphalt concrete and aggregate facilities in Indio, California, is among
the first in the nation to use solar energy to generate as much as 75
percent of its required power. The clean energy produced on-site is
equivalent to providing power for up to 100 homes.
"The commissioning of this site is significant not only for Granite and
the Coachella Valley but also for the state of California," said Jim
Roberts, Granite president and chief executive officer. "This
installation helps the state achieve its goal of reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and signifies Granite's environmental commitment to reducing
consumption of traditional forms of power at our materials facilities."
The state's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions falls under the
Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), a state-mandated plan to achieve
reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
The 318-kilowatt (kW) solar-powered project is designed using Amonix
concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar power systems. Each of the six
systems has dual-axis tracking to maximize the sun's rays and generate
clean energy to operate Granite's facility. Amonix CPV technology is
also powering a Granite facility in Tucson, Arizona, which has three
systems on-site.
All surplus power generated when the plant is not in use provides usable
clean energy to Imperial Irrigation District (IID) customers. IID helped
make the project possible through its photovoltaic solar solutions
program, which has provided more than $6 million in incentives to
residential and nonresidential customers since 2008.
The Indio installation is representative of Granite's initiative to
reduce energy emissions at its construction materials facilities by
2012. To further this effort, Granite has teamed with Amonix to install
an additional 159 kW system at its Swan facility in Arizona. In
addition, Granite recently installed a 2-megawatt (MW) Amonix system at
the University of Arizona's Solar Technology Park. Granite has also
started construction on a 1 MW facility in Coalinga, California, using
thin-film technology from Solar Frontier.
Granite's net metering facilities in Indio, Tucson, and Coalinga
represent long-life sources of renewable energy with numerous
environmental benefits. These projects will generate acceptable rates of
return on invested capital and will provide Granite with valuable
experience as a renewable energy contractor and developer. Granite
believes that the renewable-energy market is an attractive space for
growth and diversification due to its core competencies as a contractor
with a leading market presence in areas abundant with renewable
resources.
About Granite
Granite is a member of the S&P 400 Midcap Index, the FTSE KLD 400 Social
Index, and the Russell 2000 Index. It is one of the nation's largest
diversified heavy civil contractors and construction materials
producers. Granite Construction serves public- and private-sector
clients through its offices and subsidiaries nationwide. For more
information about Granite, visit its website at www.graniteconstruction.com.
About Amonix
Amonix is the recognized leader in designing and manufacturing
concentrated photovoltaic solar power systems that require no water in
power production, use land better, and produce more energy per acre than
any other solar technology. With the longest track record of real-world
CPV deployments in the industry, Amonix is the proven best choice for
solar power systems in dry, sunny climates. Amonix is headquartered in
Seal Beach, with a manufacturing facility in North Las Vegas, Nevada.
For more information visit www.amonix.com,
and visit the Amonix blog at www.amonix.com/blog.
Granite Construction Company
Jacque Fourchy, 831-761-4741
(Investors)
Cara Douglas, 831-254-0494 (Media)
Source: Granite Construction Company
News Provided by Acquire Media
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