Owens Corning’s thermal and acoustical insulation plant now has the largest PV array thus far, funded with the help of the NY-Sun Initiative. The new, 2.7 megawatt PV array was installed by Constellation, a company that also financed the array located in Feura Bush, N.Y.

The new array, which consists of 9,000 ground-mounted PV modules on more than nine acres at Owens Corning’s facility, will generate roughly 3.3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. The array will provide about 6 percent of the facility’s energy needs.

“Owens Corning is committed to helping solve the world’s most pressing energy and climate challenges, and we are constantly seeking solutions that will materially contribute,” said Frank O’Brien-Bernini, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer for Owens Corning. “This solar project represents our continuing efforts to implement programs that advance our 2020 Environmental Footprint Goals, and we are proud to be part of a project that helps protect New York State’s environment.”

Those goals include a 20 percent reduction in energy intensity by 2020, in addition to a reduction of 70 percent of its landfill waste.

"Nearly two years after Governor Cuomo first announced the NY-Sun initiative, the Owens Corning large-scale solar project is a great example of how public-private partnerships are changing the landscape of New York's clean-energy economy,” stated John Rhodes, President of NYSERDA. “This project is a testament not only to the state's investment in expanding its renewable energy portfolio, but also to its commitment in providing cleaner, more affordable energy for New Yorkers."

This is not the first sustainability initiative that Owens Corning has undertaken.  The company was previously awarded nearly $1 million from its utility, National Grid, for energy efficiency upgrades at the facility.

Constellation owns and operates more than 147 megawatts of solar installations for commercial and government customers throughout the United States that have either been completed or are under construction. By structuring its solar projects as power purchase agreements or solar services agreements, Constellation offers solar installations that often require no upfront capital from customers and provide fixed power costs that are less than projected market rates.

Owens Corning will purchase all of the power produced by the array under a 20-year power purchase agreement with Constellation.

“Solar as a power-generation source is an attractive option for large-scale manufacturers like Owens Corning to achieve environmental goals and manage electricity costs,” concluded Gary Fromer, Senior Vice President, Energy Management Programs for Constellation. Constellation is an energy company that provides electric and natural gas and is looking to install commercial-sized systems 1 megawatt or larger.