SunTechnics US Operations Expands To East Coast
Sacramento, CA & Philadelphia — SunTechnics, subsidiary of stock-quoted Conergy, is expanding its business activities to the East Coast. In the presence of the Governor Edward G. Rendell, the renewable energy system provider SunTechnics announced in a recent press conference at the Friends Center in Philadelphia the acquisition of the renewable expert Mesa Environmental Sciences Inc., now operating under the name Mesa Energy LLC. With sales offices in Malvern, PA and Marlton, NJ, SunTechnics is now offering turnkey solutions for renewable energy to residential and commercial customers on the East Coast.
Founded in 1999, Mesa initially specialized in environmental consulting services. Three years later, the company expanded its line of business to include the installation of solar energy. The team of 16 who surround the founders, Sarah Hetznecker and Gary Sheehan, has installed numerous photovoltaic and solar thermal energy projects for commercial customers, universities and government buildings, including a 2.8-kilowatt photovoltaic system on the south roof of the Governor's Residence in Harrisburg and a 4.8 kilowatt system on the Department of Environmental Protection's Southeast Regional Office in Norristown. Both systems are designed with a battery backup to support critical infrastructure.
"We expect continued rapid growth in the U.S. renewable energy market. Backed by our globally proven engineering expertise, we plan to become the market leader not only in Europe and Asia, but also in the US. The acquisition of Mesa Energy is a milestone in this plan, establishing SunTechnics as a leader in Pennsylvania and placing us in an ideal position in New Jersey. By the end of the year, we aim to increase our US sales tenfold," says Florian Edler, CEO of SunTechnics Energy Systems, Inc.
"The decision to expand our business activities with the globally active SunTechnics Group was a logical step. As SunTechnics, we now have the power to expand much faster in the renewable energy market of the east coast than our regional competitors," explains Sarah Hetznecker who, as regional manager of the new SunTechnics locations, will be responsible for the new sales and operations offices together with Sheehan.
SunTechnic's Edler and Mesa's Hetznecker also announced that one of the first projects to be initiated under the acquisition involves installation of a photovoltaic solar array at Friends Center Building in Center City Philadelphia, PA. The 10-kilowatt system will generate about 12,000 kilowatt hours per year and reduce carbon emissions by 15 tons annually. Friends Center has been renovating its building to meet the highest "green" building standards, with a vegetated roof that captures and reuses storm water and a combination of geothermal heating and cooling, photovoltaic solar panels, and purchased wind-generated electricity that will make the center fossil-fuel free. The project team includes Ueland, Junker, McCauley, Nicholson, Consilence, Re-Vision Architects and AKF Engineers.
The renewable energy market on the East Coast has been developing rapidly in recent years. The market prospects for Pennsylvania and New Jersey are especially attractive, where the states have put in place a number of policies and financial incentives to build and deploy a diverse array of alternative energy projects.
Governor Rendell recently announced an ambitious Energy Independence Fund to generate $850 million to expand the alternative fuel and clean energy sectors. The initiative includes creation of a "Pennsylvania Sunshine" program to help residents and small business owners to save up 50 percent on installations of solar systems. At current electricity rates, the average household could save about $600 a year with a 5-kilowatt system, or solar panels that generate about two-thirds of the electricity consumed in the home.
New Jersey's solar market has grown rapidly over the past few years as a result of customer incentives available through the state's Clean Energy Program. By the end of 2020 in New Jersey, environmentally sound solar power will be produced with a total peak power of 1,500 megawatts.
SunTechnics' U.S. operations are headquartered in Sacramento, CA. In an announcement with Governor Rendell in November, Germany-based Conergy AG detailed plans to locate the North American headquarters of its renewable energy project development and financing subsidiary EPURON and the East Coast operations of its solar engineering and installation subsidiary, SunTechnics, in Pennsylvania. SunTechnics' investment in Mesa builds on that commitment.
Through this strategic move and the intention of financing sister company Epuron to invest $100 million over the next three years in clean energy projects in the East Coast; SunTechnics expects a large project pipeline for the months to come.
SOURCE: SunTechnics