Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA Goes Green With Dominion Grant for Rooftop Solar Panels

- Solar energy to reduce SPCA’s operating costs
- Watch construction work in progress via streaming live video on www.dom.com
- Electrical output from solar cells to be displayed online

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 21, 2010 -- Puppies and kittens inside the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA are full of energy. Solar panels atop the roof of the SPCA will also be generating energy soon.

The Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA is using a grant from Dominion Virginia Power to install an array of solar modules on its roof. The 46 modules should be able to supply about 10 percent of the facility’s peak electricity demand during optimal conditions. Note to editors: Related images are available here: http://www.dom.com/about/media-downloads.jsp.

"We are grateful to Dominion Virginia Power for this grant," said Susanne Kogut, executive director of the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA. "This grant enables us not only to use a form of green energy but also to reduce our operating costs. Particularly in today’s economy, this is a very generous and welcome gift."

"This pilot will demonstrate that the proper application of solar energy can provide both environmental and financial benefits," said Ken Barker, vice president of customer solutions and energy conservation with Dominion Virginia Power. "We are pleased to support energy officials with the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County who recommended the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA for this grant."

The SPCA will use all the electricity that the solar installation generates as a portion of its electric supply. Monthly production is expected to average about 1,200 kilowatt-hours, or about 2.5 percent of the SPCA’s average monthly consumption.

Altenergy Inc. of Charlottesville is installing the panels. Work has begun on the project, and a camera is streaming live video on the progress of construction on Dominion’s Web site at http://www.dom.com/about/conservation/spca-solar-project.jsp.

A real-time display showing the amount of electricity being generated by the solar array will be available on www.dom.com once the installation is complete. Dominion is providing the SPCA with a computer and equipment to also display this information in the SPCA lobby.

About the partners

The Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that provides a safe environment for the lost, abandoned, and homeless animals of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, and places them in good homes. The agency strives to set a standard of excellence and leadership in animal care, humane education and progressive animal welfare programs. For more information about the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA, visit the organization’s Web site at www.caspca.org.

Altenergy Inc. builds solar energy systems, providing all types of customers with a professional process to find the most cost effective solutions available. From solar hot water systems for homes to large municipal photovoltaic electric systems, Altenergy provides customers with the planning, cost analysis and design experience to make the whole process understandable and effective. Altenergy is headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., and has a branch in Atlanta. The company’s Web site is: http://Altenergyincorporated.com.

Dominion (NYSE:D) is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of more than 27,500 megawatts of generation. Dominion operates the nation’s largest natural gas storage system and serves retail energy customers in 12 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at www.dom.com.

Contacts:

Media: Karl Neddenien, (804) 771-6115, Karl.R.Neddenien@dom.com
Le-Ha Anderson, Le-Ha.Anderson@dom.com