Solar Nation finishes thin-film solar system in Gresham

Henningsen Cold Storage Co. will now get 20 percent of its electrical energy needs from a 200-killowatt solar system on the roof of its Gresham facility.

Solar Nation installed 1,386 thin-film solar panels from UNI-SOLAR on a portion of the roof space at Henningsen's 145,000-square-foot facility which opened in September, 2009.

"Due to the nature of cold storage facilities, installing a solar-electric system on our rooftop was complicated, requiring special engineering, permitting, incentive applications and inspections," said Paul Henningsen, vice president of corporate development and engineering at Henningsen, in a news release.

The system is warranted for 25 years and the renewable energy it generates is expected to keep 158 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere — the approximate equivalent of driving a car 5 million miles.
Solar Nation received a $2 million capital infusion late last year from a European investor.