French natural cosmetics company generates solar power at new headquarters

Biel, 09.11.2010. Since October the new headquarters of Bleu Vert near Avignon, France, has been enhanced by two solar power plants. On 2 October, the French natural cosmetics wholesaler inaugurated two plants with outputs of 101 and 2.69 kilowatts respectively. Among the 600 guests were politicians and journalists, customers and suppliers, as well as project partners and neighbours. A ride on a crane allowed guests an overhead view of both photovoltaic (PV) plants. Three inverters made by the Swiss manufacturer Sputnik Engineering turn their direct current into the alternating current used on the grid.

The PV power plants were installed by the French corporation Groupement Photovoltaïque du Luberon (PV Luberon). The systems are among the many sophisticated elements which contribute to the sustainable architecture of Bleu Vert's new headquarters which comprise 1,900 square meters of office space and a warehouse. Another is the sewage treatment system for the building designed as a constructed wetland. An environmentally friendly heat pump supplies a pleasant indoor climate, fresh air is supplied by a controlled ventilation system whose efficiency is enhanced by heat recovery. The façade is made of golden-yellow natural stone. The building surrounds 7,000 square meters of space devoted to a large garden facility, including a pond, designed for educational and demonstration purposes.

In the reception area and the seminar rooms of the natural cosmetics company there are several monitors which continuously display the solar power being produced and the energy being consumed by the building. Overall, the two photovoltaic plants produce roughly 140,000 kilowatt hours of power annually. "Our experience with Sputnik Engineering inverters has always been very good," says Gilles Flavien, managing director of PV Luberon. "Product quality, warranty coverage and technical support are all outstanding. And in our next major project, the winery ´Cave de Bonnieux`, we will also use Sputnik inverters.“

Plant data: PV plant 1 (101 kilowatts)
Power output 101 kW
Modules 336 modules by Sunpower
Inverters SolarMax 50C, SolarMax 35C
Inclination and orientation Inclination 21°, South

Plant data: PV plant 2 (2.69 kilowatts)
Power output 2.69 kW
Modules 6 modules by Romag
Inverters SolarMax 3000S
Inclination and orientation Inclination 21°, South

About Sputnik Engineering AG

Sputnik Engineering AG, a Swiss company, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of grid-connected solar inverters. Under the name SolarMax the company develops, produces and sells inverters for every facility – from photovoltaic systems on single-family homes whose kilowatt output is modest, to the solar power plants whose output is measured in megawatts. The inverter is a key component of the solar plant, transforming the generated direct current into grid-compliant alternating current. Superior efficiency and long service life are the hallmarks of SolarMax products, whose technology is always state of the art, because of their reliable Swiss quality.

Today, Sputnik Engineering has a staff of 330 at its Swiss corporate headquarters and its subsidiaries in Neuhausen (Germany), Madrid (Spain), Milan (Italy) and Saint Priest (France) and at their branch locations in Brussels and Prague.

Publisher
Sputnik Engineering AG
Höheweg 85
CH-2502 Biel/Bienne
Tel.: +41 32 346 56 00
Fax. +41 32 346 56 09
info@solarmax.com
www.solarmax.com

Press contact
PR-Agentur Krampitz
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DE-51105 Cologne
Tel. +49 221 912 499 49
Fax +49 221 912 499 48
info@pr-krampitz.de

This release was published on openPR.