A few months ago, all the power Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.(RPT) needed to run the ovens that form the acrylic for commercial aquariums, power the computers in use throughout the building, or simply turn on the lights all came from one place – the power company. That’s all changing now, thanks to a new solar panel array installed on RPT’s roof.

The 404 panel solar system with nine inverters will save RPT about $1,000 each month in electric costs. With electricity rates increasing each year, those savings will increase, too. Calculations predict that those savings will add up and the array of panels will pay for itself in less than 5 years.

“We’ve been focusing on practical ways to reduce our carbon footprint for several years,” said Roger R. Reynolds, III, CEO of RPT. “Installing this solar panel system offered a good way to do this. It reduces our traditional energy consumption by 10 percent and was the right time for us to move forward with this project.”

The 100 kilowatt photovoltaic system ties into the traditional power grid. All solar power generated gets distributed throughout the building with any surplus solar polar sold back to the power company.

All the panels and power inverters are US-made and installed using a ballasted roof installation to prevent any penetration through the roof structure or roof materials.

The addition of solar power complements the existing efforts in place to improve RPT’s sustainability. A water reclamation system started in 2009 currently reduces water consumption by 41.3 percent, changing to high efficiency lighting saved 50 percent on the lighting bill, the painting of the roof white reduced energy consumption as it keeps the shop floor cooler in the summer, and various recycling programs in place ensure as much waste as possible is kept out of the landfill.