A few years ago, if you were to say that the largest rooftop solar panel was going to be installed in a car manufacturing plant we’d probably say that you were, well, bonkers. If you had mentioned that not only would this be true, but that it would be installed in the roof of a General Motors plant, we’d have gladly tried to sell you a bridge. Surprisingly though you’d have been correct. Last week General Motors announced that its Zaragoza plant in Spain will be fitted with the world’s largest rooftop solar power station.
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Granted, we didn’t quite know that GM already owns two of the largest solar power stations in the United States, but those are small change compared to the installation that will be undertaken in its European factory. Under Spanish skies, GM plans to install 85,000 solar panels on top of its factory covering over 2 million square feet. These will provide over 10 megawatts of power to both the station (responsible for over 480,000 vehicles) and the local power grid. The power station will be managed by France’s Veolia Environment and Clairvoyant Energy.
Once finished, the station will supply enough power for over 4,600 households. It will be finished in September.
+ GM to build world’s biggest rooftop solar station in Spain
Your first picture seems a bit misleading, it\’s definitely from Southern California, not Spain or any General Motors facility.
yeah, that first picture is in ontario, california. i would know, ive lived there for the past 20 years. i wouldn\’t think inhabitat would do that. shame on you guys!
yeah, that first picture is in ontario, california. i would know, ive lived there for the past 20 years. i wouldn’t think inhabitat would do that. shame on you guys!
I found the above comments a bit vexing so I poked around a little and found that the most of the other articles on this topic attribute first image to a GM distribution plant in southern California, while the second image indeed appears to be of the GM facility in Spain. inhabitat you are great, I don’t feel mislead in the least, as a fellow blogger it comes with the territory, it’s always the readers responsibility to validate information – they can start with the July 8th article in the NYTimes. happy day.
Blogging or not, if you are pushing an agenda you should try to remain as honest and open as possible. Spreading false information, intentionally or not, only hurts your cause. You lose not only the trust of your reader but a potential supporter and donor.
I wonder why other countries don’t take a lead from GM’s example and run their factories on solar energy for which the raw material-sunlight- is free! These factories can install solar panels in thousands at their rooftops. These rooftops lie unutilized in any case. Well done, GM!
Air Commodore (Retd) Azfar A Khan,
Pakistan,
E-mail: azfar44@hotmail.com