Kyocera recently dedicated its first ever Solar Grove, an array of 25 "solar trees" that converts a 1860vehicle parking lot into a solar electric generating system at its Kearny Mesa plant in San Diego, USA. The system's 25 solar trees form a carport utilising a total of 1400 Kyocera KC-197G solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and 200 custom-made, light-filtering PV modules. The system's capacity of 235kW - capable of generating 421,000 kW.h/yr - will be equivalent to the electrical needs of 68 typical San Diego homes. According to the EPA's Power Profiler, generating this amount of electricity through conventional fossil fuel resources would annually release 338,905 lb or CO2; 421 lb of NOx; and 253lb SO2. The economic viability of this project is supported by the CA Public Utilities Commission, which will cover around 36% of the system's costs.
