Siemens facility to use solar power

Siemens Transportation Systems Inc. (STS) will install a 1 megawatt solar energy system at its Sacramento, Calif., light rail manufacturing facility that will be completed by mid- to late-October 2008.

The new photovoltaic system, which is twice the size of any privately installed system in the Sacramento area, is expected to generate 29,664,213 kWh (kilowatt hours) of electricity over the first 20 years and is equal to approximately 150 average-size residential solar panel systems, according to the company.  

Using the California Energy Commission’s Clean Power Estimator, STS calculates that its new photovoltaic system impacts the environment by preventing 737 tons of CO2 annually and is equivalent to removing 7,933 cars from the road.