Five commercial installations feature customized wind solutions design to address region's challenging climate

Solar Power International 2012

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.--REC Solar, a leading provider of home and commercial solar electric systems in the United States, established itself among the top solar companies in Florida's emerging solar market with work on five installations on IKEA and U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA) Medical Center locations totaling nearly 5MW. With ample sunshine, high-energy usage, and fast-falling solar prices, Florida is well positioned to become a significant market for solar energy, even absent comprehensive state solar mandates.

In July, REC Solar completed installations on IKEA Orlando, IKEA Tampa and the Miami VA Medical Center. Installations on the Bay Pines VA Medical Center and IKEA Sunrise are scheduled for completion by the end of this year. The two IKEA installations represent the 11th and 12th installs that REC Solar has completed on IKEA stores nationwide.

"These impressive installations are a result of our experience designing and installing solar systems tailored to the customer's specific cost and climate-related constraints," said Lee Johnson, CEO of Mainstream Energy, parent company of REC Solar. "Especially in Florida, competitively-priced solar makes economic sense as a tool for businesses and agencies to control electricity costs and hedge against future rate hikes."

Florida's sunny climate makes it a prime region for solar, but the high frequency of hurricanes poses engineering challenges for large-scale roof-mounted solar installations. REC Solar utilized SnapNRack™ and their Series 450 hybrid-ballasted and attached racking solution on four of the installations. REC Solar and SnapNRack's engineering teams worked together to design the systems to meet IKEA and VA's internal performance requirements, as well as the state's 186 mph wind load requirement for new solar installations.

REC Solar's engineering and construction expertise has attracted other customers in Miami-Dade County in South Florida and the Caribbean to consider solar for their properties. REC Solar's experience will help both IKEA and VA achieve their sustainability goals, and the company's track record of providing end-to-end services, from initial analysis to after-install maintenance play a large role in bringing large-scale installations online on time and ensuring high performance over the systems' lifetime.

REC Solar will be exhibiting at Solar Power International in Orlando, September 10-13 at Booth #2743. Ben Higgins, Director of Government Affairs and Angiolo Laviziano, board member and former CEO, will also be presenting at the conference. Full agenda is available here.

About REC Solar

REC Solar, Inc., a subsidiary of Mainstream Energy Corporation, is a national leader in solar electric system design and installation. Focused on making solar affordable and simple, REC Solar specializes in residential, business, government and utility projects, offering a local presence in all major solar markets in the U.S. By providing innovative products, efficient processes, and integrated services, REC Solar is committed to delivering high-quality systems while lowering the cost of solar power for all. In 15 years of business, REC Solar has installed more than 8,500 systems nationwide in excess of 100 megawatts. For more, visit RECSolar.com or call 888.OK.SOLAR (888.657.6527).