Dedicates 26 kW Canadian Solar panel system on historic building in Burbank to mark 60th year of operation
TORONTO, Canada, and LOS ANGELES and MURRIETA, Calif., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- Canadian Solar Inc. ("Canadian Solar") (Nasdaq: CSIQ), HelioPower and Bob’s Big Boy of Burbank were joined last week by Burbank Mayor Gary Bric and other local officials to inaugurate a 26 kW Canadian Solar photovoltaic panel system installed at the historic restaurant. Commemorating 60 years of operation by going a modern "green", Bob hosted dignitaries to dedicate its new solar panel system and educated a new generation by inviting local Habitat for Humanity volunteers to a Fifties-era Sock Hop under the canopy of the solar power system.
"We’ve brought Bob into the 21st century," said owner Philip MacDonald. The MacDonald family has owned the Bob’s since 1949 and took over operations in 1993, the same year it was designated a California Point of Historical Interest. Located at 4211 Riverside Drive in Burbank, California, the restaurant is the oldest remaining Bob’s in the United States. "Solar technology is a viable option for powering retail buildings. Bob is setting an example for the community and our fans worldwide by employing solar power to generate a portion of the electricity used by the restaurant," continued MacDonald.
Joining Mayor Bric were Gregory W. Ashley, President, Canadian Solar USA; Robert Liggett, Jr., Chairman, Bob’s Big Boy International; Gary Olson, President/CEO, Burbank Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Lance Williams, Executive Director, U. S. Green Building Council-Los Angeles and Wayne Colmer, Board President, Habitat for Humanity of SF/SCV, the official charity of the Bob’s "Sixty and Solar" celebration.
"Sixty years old -- and going solar -- Bob’s Big Boy is an American icon taking part in our new energy future. Canadian Solar is honored to be working with HelioPower to support Bob’s Big Boy," said Gregory Ashley, acting President of the Canadian Solar U.S. division. "Partners like HelioPower who install these projects quickly and efficiently make it easier for buildings to use clean, renewable energy directly generated at their sites. We celebrate this dedication with Bob’s today and this solar system generating power for years to come."
The restaurant is now generating a portion of its own electricity from a solar power system consisting of 132 Canadian Solar CS6P 200 Modules and two SMA inverters, a Sunny Boy 6000US and a Sunny Boy 3000US. Energy generation is monitored by an SMA Sunny WebBox and graphically displayed through the SMA Sunny Portal system. System specifications and live performance data can be seen at: http://www.heliopower.com/projects/california/burbank/bobs-big-boy .
"SMA is pleased to celebrate Bob’s Big Boy 60th anniversary and have our Sunny Boy inverters be a part of this notable project, " said Jeffrey Philpott, director of marketing for SMA America. "By choosing to go solar, Bob’s Big Boy of Burbank has demonstrated leadership in the community, a true commitment to the environment and once again set an example for other businesses to emulate."
The Bob’s solar power system is installed on the large steel carport structure and a flat commercial roof above the neighboring Starbucks. It was designed and installed by HelioPower. The Bob’s solar installation will produce 39 MWh (mega watt hours) of electricity a year. This is enough green energy to offset the electrical demand of about seven homes; the elimination of CO2 offsets 57,000 miles driven per year and the equivalent of 78 trees planted and carbon sequestered for the life of those trees. Other environmental technologies applied at Bob’s include recycling and energy efficient lighting.
About Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ)
Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) is one of the world’s largest solar module producers. As a leading vertically integrated provider of ingots, wafers, solar cells, modules and systems, Canadian Solar delivers solar systems for on-grid and off-grid use. Canadian Solar operations in North America, Europe and Asia provide uncompromising quality, durability, performance and value to support global sustainable development. For more information, visit http://www.canadian-solar.com .
About HelioPower
HelioPower has been committed to engineering solar power solutions for residential, commercial, community and utility scale partners since 2001. A leading sustainable energy integration firm, HelioPower operates in California and Nevada, serving clients worldwide. HelioPower can be reached toll free at 1 87 SOLAR 88 or on the web at http://www.HelioPower.com .
About SMA America, Inc.
SMA America, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of SMA Solar Technology AG, based in Germany. SMA is the world leader in solar inverter technology and manufacturing with divisions in 10 countries on four continents. SMA is committed to its leadership role, offering exceptional value with the most efficient and reliable solar inverters in the industry. SMA takes special pride in promoting renewable energy solutions at all levels through education, information and support for the general public and solar installers, as well as for small and large businesses worldwide. For more information, call (916) 625-0870 or visit http://www.SMA-America.com .
Safe Harbor/Forward-Looking Statements for Canadian Solar
Certain statements in this press release including statements regarding expected future financial and industry growth are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These statements are made under the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by such terms as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include general business and economic conditions and the state of the solar industry; governmental support for the deployment of solar power; future shortage or availability of the supply of high-purity silicon; demand for end-use products by consumers and inventory levels of such products in the supply chain; changes in demand from significant customers, including customers of our silicon materials sales; changes in demand from major markets such as Germany; changes in customer order patterns; changes in product mix; capacity utilization; level of competition; pricing pressure and declines in average selling price; delays in new product introduction; continued success in technological innovations and delivery of products with the features customers demand; shortage in supply of materials or capacity requirements; availability of financing; exchange rate fluctuations; litigation and other risks as described in the Company’s SEC filings, including its annual report on Form 20-F originally filed on June 8, 2009. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance, or achievements. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All information provided in this press release is as of today’s date, unless otherwise stated, and Canadian Solar undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
