Volkswagen AG has turned on its solar park, which provides 13% of the energy used at its plant in Tennessee. So reports Bloomberg.
The carmaker, which was recognized by an environmental group for its sustainable operations, has a 33-acre solar park next to its Chattanooga, Tenn., plant, where it produces its Passat model for the American market. The park, known as a photo-voltaic installation, is the company’s biggest worldwide.
While the 9.5-megawatt solar installation will supply just 13% of the plant’s electricity during production hours, it will provide all of its power when those manufacturing lines aren’t in operation.
The plant opened in May 2011 and is the first carmaker to receive platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, which is the council’s top rating.
The solar park is actually owned by Silicon Ranch Corp., but it will sell the electricity back to Volkswagen under a 20-year supply contract, the carmaker said.
To read the full Bloomberg article cited in this story, click here