Empire Power Systems successfully installed the first 5,000 solar panels on Arizona’s largest commercial rooftop solar power system.

Solar panels being installed in southwest Phoenix. Photo courtesy Empire Power Systems

Located on an 850,000-sq-ft building near 27th Avenue and Buckeye Road in Phoenix, the new solar power system will allow the building’s owners, Cowley Cos., to provide tenants with renewable energy at a 25% reduction in price over typical industrial electric rates.

The SunPower T-5 panels are being installed as quickly as they are received. The integrated design of this ballasted system allows the Arizona-based contractors on the project to install them quickly and easily. Once in place, the wires are connected to an above-grade electrical conduit that runs into the inverter room, where SatCon 500kW inverters await to convert the direct current energy into usable commercial electricity.

The massive rooftop solar electric system will ultimately produce 2.4mW of solar electric power. The solar installation is facilitated, in part, from a production-based incentive provided by Arizona Public Service.