Sharp Soaks Up California Sun with Solar Panels

Staff Reporter -- Electronic News, 8/30/2006

A new California community is set to soak up the sun: Sharp Electronics Corp. will supply solar panels for up to 300 new homes being built by BLU S.K.Y Homes in Bakersfield, Calif.

Juliana's Garden, located in the new master-planned community dubbed City in the Hills, will be the first of several communities BLU S.K.Y Homes builds which will feature the solar systems. Both the Camellia and Wisteria neighborhoods within Juliana's Garden will offer Sharp's solar power system as a standard feature on all homes.

Camellia and Wisteria homes will range from approximately 1,589 to 3,429 sq. feet and have three to six bedrooms.

Depending on the size of the home, solar energy systems will range in size between 1.7 and 3.5 kilowatts. All systems will utilize a combination of Sharp's 62- and 142-watt rectangular modules and 72-watt triangular modules to supplement the electricity supplied from the local utility company.

Renewable Energy Concepts (REC), an installer of residential solar electric systems, will be responsible for the installation. Construction on Camellia and Wisteria's first homes began this month and will continue for the next two to three years.

A recent survey conducted by Sharp found that the majority of Americans believe homebuilders should offer solar power as an option for all new home construction and are even willing to pay a premium for it, according to the company.

Solar power's popularity is gaining momentum, with the spike in gas prices and the resulting refocus on "green" energy. Dupont, Suntech and Evergreen Solar have all announced major new solar investments in recent months.