Gregory Poole Equipment Co. recently commissioned the company's first photovoltaic solar energy system at the Power Generation facility in Garner, N.C. The 207.74 kW rooftop array collects solar radiation through 884 solar panels, and converts the power for commercial energy use with a grid interactive inverter. The energy generated by the system will be sold to Progress Energy to help meet community energy needs.

The system will produce enough energy to supply 20 average American homes, and offset approximately 4,800 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere during its first 25 years of operation. Additionally, the system will help offset the energy costs of GPEC and contribute towards the continued growth of the 60-year-old company that employs more than 800 people. The project was engineered, procured, and constructed using a local workforce by East Coast solar developer United Renewable Energy LLC.

The recent solar energy project is the second large renewable energy project that GPEC has been directly involved with in 2011. Earlier this year, GPEC announced a partnership in the Black Creek Renewable Energy project based at the Sampson County Landfill in Roseboro, N.C. The landfill gas-to-energy project utilizes four Cat G3520C LFG engines, supplied by GPEC. These latest projects are just the beginning for GPEC's ongoing commitment to sustainability.

Raleigh, N.C.-based Gregory Poole has 20 locations providing sales, rental, parts and service for construction, agriculture, forestry, industrial fork lift, floor cleaning, marine power, on-highway truck and electric power generation products in the eastern parts of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

United Renewable Energy delivers renewable energy systems to businesses and utilities. URE provides consulting, design, sales, financing and installation of solar electric systems. For more information, visit www.u-renew.com.