Solar Panels Light Up Downtown Building

Today, the largest solar panel array in Alaska began supplying electricity to a building in downtown Anchorage.

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By KTVA CBS 11

Story Created: Jun 1, 2011 at 7:54 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Jun 3, 2011 at 4:11 PM AKDT

One downtown Anchorage office building may have seen the light when it comes renewable energy.

Starting Thursday, the largest solar panel array in Alaska began supplying electricity to the building located on the corner of Fifth Avenue and E Street.

The panels are projected to contribute up to nine percent of the building’s total electrical load.

While Steve Zelener, the building’s owner, is concerned about the energy savings today on the $100,000 project, he also has one eye on the future.

“The panels themselves are only 30 percent of the whole project. Ten years from now I believe that there will be technology that will generate for the same square footage twice as much energy…Plus, the cost will go down so it will be cost effective for us to go and take out the older panels and replace them with new panels,” said Zelener.

Each of the 96 panels has the capacity to generate 180 watts of electricity.

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