Abbott Builds "Green" With New Solar Panel Project in Germany
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It all started with a roof in need of repair atop the Abbott
Diagnostics Wiesbaden-Delkenheim site's warehouse building. Replacing the roof
provided the perfect opportunity to install an alternative form of energy in
the form of lightweight solar panels built into the roof membrane. The project,
Abbott's first major solar power installation, became fully functional in
mid-October of last year. Solar panels capture the sun's energy and offer a
"green" solution to keep energy expenses down while reducing carbon
dioxide emissions, which are commonly linked to global warming. Funded through the Abbott Global Environmental, Health and Safety (GEHS) Non-Financial Waste Reduction Fund, it is estimated that this 64-panel system will provide more than 21,000 kilowatt-hours AC per year. That equals enough energy to light 22 homes continuously for a year. In addition, the solar panel installation will reduce approximately 19 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. |
| In Germany, new regulations for regenerative electricity
guarantee financial credit for solar projects completed by the end of 2006.
This means that the site will receive an annual energy bill credit worth
US$14,200 (€11,100) for the next 20 years. This project has earned the Wiesbaden site public recognition by the local ECOPROFIT® environmental program. A worldwide partnership program between government and local businesses, ECOPROFIT® aims to reduce industrial environmental impacts by introducing innovative and environmentally-friendly technologies. Global and division EHS engineers across Abbott are integrating "green engineering" technologies into building renovations as well as in the design of new buildings. Additional Information:
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