NEW YORK, NY — (Marketwire) — 10/24/11 — LLC (D-SUN), a DC-based, solar commercial developer, interstate distributed power-producer and profitable Solar Energy Investment Company (SEIC) manager, today announced it has teamed with Cornell University to develop the proposal to New York City to finance, build and operate the on-site, renewable power solutions for the NYC Tech Campus on Roosevelt Island. Generating a potential 9 Gigawatt-hours of electricity per year, the integrated solar, geothermal and fuel cell power sources promoted by Cornell–s pioneering energy vision, and proposed with D-SUN–s proprietary underwriting, integration and finance solutions, together raise the bar for sustainable campus design, construction and operations. The proposed campus is “a living laboratory that brilliantly anticipates and integrates forward-thinking design and building technologies,” offers Kent Kleinman, Cornell–s Dean of Architecture, Art and Planning.
If built today, these renewable energy solutions would deliver the largest net-zero building in the Eastern United States — among the top four largest such buildings in the country. The remainder of the campus is designed for LEED Silver certification, and will be highly energy efficient. D-SUN–s distributed solar arrays, at 1.8 MW, and geothermal system, with 400 wells at 500 foot depth across 4 acres, will each showcase NYC–s biggest installed renewable power sources of their types. Together with 22,500 annual MMBtus from natural gas powered fuel cells, these complementary and proven energy solutions will reduce conventional grid electricity consumption by as much as 75%, and generate cleaner power with approximately 50% lower greenhouse gas emissions, compared to a similarly sized “traditional” campus that meets today–s energy code.
In announcing New York City–s plans to create an applied sciences university to rival Silicon Valley, Mayor Bloomberg stressed the importance of new company formation and job creation. Cornell–s campus design visibly embodies these central aspirations. Jobs are being created in the US solar industry 10 times faster than the national average (Solar Foundation), overtaking US steel production by total number of jobs in the first quarter of 2011 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics). Similarly, renewable generation outpaced US nuclear power production (by 17%, or .19 quadrillion BTUs of energy) for the first time ever during the same period (US Energy Information Agency). “The campus is pointed toward maximum solar output and minimum impact on the environment,” says Jeff Weiss, Managing Director of D-SUN–s SEICs. “In solar parlance, Cornell–s architectural and energy teams have envisioned a truly optimal azimuth (the solar angle achieving maximum energy output) that boldly defines their mission and aligns this landmark precisely toward our nation–s shared science, energy, and economic futures.”
D-SUN has proposed to fund all on-site power solutions with a proprietary finance structure that if implemented would reduce Cornell–s lifecycle power expenses by significant amounts versus prevailing power-purchase-agreement finance models.
“We are thrilled and honored to assist Cornell University in their proposal to New York City,” says Chase Weir, CEO of D-SUN. “This is a truly unique opportunity for the city to apply and demonstrate the vision of tomorrow–s renewable energy solutions at an applied sciences campus today.”
()
() ()
For more information, please contact
Dan Schneider
202-706-6172