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SunDurance Awarded 300kW Parking Lot Canopy Contract in Dallas TX

 SunDurance Energy announced it has been awarded a contract to design and build a 300 kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) energy system for The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.  The project is being funded in part with a grant provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), with the remainder of funds provided by University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.  Construction will begin in April and is scheduled to be completed by August 2011, just prior to the Solar Power International Conference and Tradeshow in October in Dallas.

SunDurance Energy won this project through a three-step competitive bidding process.  The winning design utilizes one of the University’s open and sunny parking lots, where approximately 1,275 solar panels will be mounted on elevated structures over 160 parking spaces.  

“We are finding that more clients are interested in unlocking the extra value available in their parking lots by hosting solar energy systems,” said Al Bucknam, SunDurance Energy CEO.  “The parking canopy application avoids the potential complications that can come with aging or cluttered rooftops, adds incremental economic value by lowering the University’s energy spending, and provides some vehicle coverage from sun and rain.” 

The system is estimated to provide just over 400,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year, which is equivalent to taking the carbon output of more than 55 cars off the road or eliminating the amount of carbon sequestered annually by 62 acres of pine forests.

Kirby Vahle, UT Southwestern Vice President for Facilities Management, said, “We are delighted to partner with SunDurance Energy to create a solar power solution for the University.  Our mission is to lower our energy expenses while at the same time advance our ecological efforts by harnessing a renewable energy source to shrink our carbon footprint.”