BP gas stations with solar canopies

BP (Beyond Petroleum) gas stations are starting to integrate solar canopies (the cover for the gas pumps) that produce energy to run the entire store! Some consider it "greenwashing" but BP has definitely been taking steps towards investing in renewable energy, and fuel in particular.

The Canopy is usually set up to cover eight fuel stations and is constructed with over four hundred photovoltaic PV modules to generate electricity. Some larger installations are in the works at different locations across the country to cover up to ten fuel stations with enough capacity to produce 20 kilowatts of energy.

These panels are the PowerView (Type A) modules (an innovative new thin film technology), which allow approximately 5% of daylight to pass through.  They are manufactured at BP Solar's facility in Virginia. Each module will produce a nominal 40 watts dc/module (per 2'X4' panel), a total of 17,360 Watts dc under the optimum conditions.  The system is fitted with several inverters in parallel, designed for an array of the solar panels, with their respective outputs combined.  The system will typically produce 15 kWac. Sufficient to power 3-4 homes.

Here's the BP Solar corporate scoop:

• BP is one of the world's largest private-sector consumers of solar power, as well as being one of its largest maufacturers of solar panels and modules.
• BP first "went solar" at its retail sites in 1998, with a project to incorporate solar power into 200 of its retail stations in ten countries around the world.  The 200th site was completed at the end of 2000.  These sites were PV arrays installed on top of a conventional forecourt canopy.
• So far over of 3.5 Megawatts of solar power has been installed at stations across the Globe by BP.
• This clean power will save around 3,500 tons of CO2 emissions annually or 105,000 tons of CO2 over the lifetime.
• BP Solar is a unit of BP Amoco and headquartered in Frederick,MD.  With a global market share of 20% and annual revenues of more than $200 million, BP Solar is at the forefront of the international solar electric industry and is one of the largest manufacturers of solar electric modules and systems in the U.S.