The 2.1-MW Anthony Wayne Solar Array, developed by GEM Energy, is featured on the Green Energy Ohio tour of clean energy and green design projects. GEM Energy will host an open house at the solar array from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, October 3, at 671 Spencer St, Toledo, Ohio.

Toledo, Ohio – The 2.1-MW Anthony Wayne Solar Array, which provides electricity to the Toledo Zoo, is part of the Green Energy Ohio 12th Annual Tour of clean energy and green design projects this week.

GEM Energy, of the Rudolph/Libbe Companies, will host an open house from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, October 3, as part of GEO's tour. The 2.1 MW solar array was designed, developed and constructed by GEM Energy.

The solar array and property are owned by a group of local investors led by the Rudolph/Libbe Companies. The project was completed with no out-of-pocket costs to the Toledo Zoo. The zoo is purchasing about 30 percent of its electricity from the array through an exclusive power purchase agreement.

The array is located on a 22-acre Toledo brownfield site that was once in receivership. The 28,170-panel solar array is one of the largest in the U.S. to supply power to a zoo.

The project was built with Calyxo solar modules, which use innovative thin film technology developed in Toledo. Nextronex, of Toledo, provided inverters, combiner boxes, and distributed architecture for the solar array. AP Alternatives LLC, of Ridgeville Corners, supplied steel racks for the solar modules. The array will produce approximately 2.6MWh per year.

GEO will showcase clean energy and green design at 160 open houses and nine guided tours in 31 Ohio counties on October 3, 4 and 5. Tour sites include private homes, businesses and public locations such as schools and colleges, parks and zoos. Tours are free to the public. The schedule is posted at www.greenenergyohio.org.

Guided tours are scheduled in Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Oberlin, Springfield, Urbana and in Paulding County at the Timber Road II Wind Farm.

Formed in 2001, Green Energy Ohio is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting economically and environmentally sustainable energy policies and practices. GEO is the Ohio Chapter of the American Solar Energy Society. ASES leads national efforts to promote solar energy education, public outreach and advocacy.

GEM Energy, of the Rudolph/Libbe Companies, is ranked among the top solar contractors in the industry by Solar Power World. For 2014, GEM Energy is ranked 28th among Solar Power World's Top 50 Solar Developers in the U.S., 70th among the magazine's Top 100 Commercial Solar Contractors, and 154th on the magazine's list of Top 400 Solar Contractors.

The Rudolph/Libbe Companies is among the region's largest contractors and employs 1,000-1,500 construction trades through offices in Lima, Toledo, Cleveland and Walbridge, Ohio; and Plymouth, Michigan.