Eco Dive Center, Culver City, Calif., has filed a solar permit application at the city's building department – the first step toward the installation of a solar electric system and energy management plan.
According to Eco Dive Center and ABC Solar Inc., a solar sales and installation company involved in the project, Culver City is actively pursuing solar and renewable policies. Eco Dive Center is one of the first small businesses to go solar in the city.
‘Our roof has been used to make us money by showing our giant SCUBA signs to drivers on the 405 Freeway,’ says Ron Beltramo, owner of the Eco Dive Center. ‘Now I'm putting the roof to work with solar panels that will make part of our energy. The solar system is being built so we can expand easily as our budget allows us to add more solar electric panels.’
‘It was a pleasure to work with the planning department, who quickly passed me to the building department to get the solar system planned checked and to request a permit fee waiver,’ comments Bradley Bartz, president of ABC Solar.
The solar system features 10 Ningbo 165 W solar electric panels. Each panel is 30 volts DC, and the panels are run in one string to 300 V and then fed into an DC/AC inverter. The Eco Dive Center will use the SMA Sunnyboy SB3000US inverter, which will allow the addition of a dozen more 165 W solar panels.
