Stellar, SolarNet & Sharp Join Forces to Design and Construct the Largest Solar Installation in the Wine Country

2.8 Megawatts of Solar Now Online at Four Foster’s Wine Estates – Asti, Beringer, Etude and Stags’ Leap

HEALDSBURG, CA, February 17, 2009 – SolarNet, Stellar and an innovative collaboration of solar energy professionals today announced that a combined 2.8MW are online at four California wineries owned by Foster’s Wine Estates – Asti, Etude, Stags’ Leap, and Beringer wineries.  The 1.34MW array at Beringer is the largest total solar energy system in the U.S. wine industry.  Cumulatively, this Foster’s project is one of the largest deployments of PV in California.  Using 12,900 solar modules from Sharp, the four installations combined will produce 3.8 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable electricity per year.
 
“Foster’s Wine Estates is to be lauded for hosting so much solar at four of its magnificent wineries,” David Michalek, general manager of Stellar Energy Solutions.

Ron Kenedi, vice president of Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group commented, “Sharp is very pleased to be working with this impressive roster of solar industry experts to develop creative ways to help Foster’s Wine Estates support renewable energy.”
 
SolarNet, which facilitates solar energy solutions by combining skilled contractors, tax equity investors, quality products and energy users into one nationwide solar network focused upon large installations, was enlisted by The Bright Group, Inc. to coordinate and co-develop the project. The Bright Group, Inc., specializing in innovative roofing solutions, founded the Foster's Wine Estates solar initiative and conducted pre-development engineering and design of the system.
 
SolarNet, in turn, recruited Stellar Energy Solutions as the solar engineer and general contractor and retained Perpetual Energy Systems (PES) as the project financier. Using conventional financing, construction and permanent debt and equity as well as federal energy tax credits PES funded the entire installation without capital investment from Foster’s. PES owns the system as well as the renewable energy certificates and carbon credits determined by the system’s actual output.  Foster’s will host the system for a 25-year term and purchase electricity at a reduced rate from PES.
 
The combined system occupies 400,000 square feet of total rooftop structures and will eliminate 2.0 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per year from the environment equating to the removal of 183 passenger cars from the roads each year and more than 150,000 trees needed to eliminate this amount of CO2 from the environment per year.

About SolarNet
SolarNet™ facilitates solar energy solutions by fostering collaborations between solar contractors, engineers, architects, investors and energy users.  By utilizing Solar Service Agreements (SSA), innovative financial contracts that pair solar investors with energy users, SolarNet makes large-scale solar accessible to more corporate and government clients.   For more information, please contact Keith Rutledge at keith@solarnet.us or visit the SolarNet website at www.solarnet.us <http://www.solarnet.us> . 
 
About Stellar Energy Solutions
Stellar Energy is a leading California-based solar energy integrator.  With comprehensive services including project financing, engineering and installation management, Stellar leads corporate, non-profit, educational and governmental clients toward a better energy future.  For more information, please contact Chris Phipps at chrisp@stellarenergy.com or visit the Stellar website at www.stellarenergy.com <http://www.stellarenergy.com> .

About Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group
Sharp’s Solar Energy Solutions Group, based in Huntington Beach, California, is a unit of Sharp Electronics Corporation, the U.S. subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, Osaka, Japan.  Sharp is a world market leader in solar cell production, and offers both standard and integrated roof modules for home and business applications.  Sharp also is the U.S. market leader and maintains solar panel assembly operations at its manufacturing facility in Memphis, Tennessee.  The solar manufacturing facility assembles a variety of panels for residential and commercial installations.  Further information on Sharp’s commitment to solar energy, its product line and the ways in which Sharp makes it easy to go solar is available online at www.solar.sharpusa.com <http://www.solar.sharpusa.com> .

About Foster’s Wine Estates
Foster’s Wine Estates has a proud history that dates back to the 1800's.  The winery group, owned by Foster’s Group in Australia, produces and markets an international portfolio of highly respected brands from iconic estates like Beringer Vineyards, Etude, Stags’ Leap Winery, and Chateau St. Jean in California, Penfolds, Rosemount and Wolf Blass in Australia, Castello di Gabbiano in Italy, and Matua Valley in New Zealand.  Many of these estates were founded by pioneers in their regions and continue to craft wines at the forefront of quality, innovation and regional expression. 
 
Our approach to sustainability at Foster’s recognizes the direct link between the effective management of our environmental and social impacts and our business success.  On strong foundations, a passionate global team is building a sustainable future for Foster’s, our people, our environment and our communities.  For more information, visit www.fostersgroup.com <http://www.fostersgroup.com/> .
 
About Perpetual Energy Systems
Perpetual Energy Systems is a comprehensive developer of solar powered renewable energy systems, providing solar energy power to industrial, commercial and municipal enterprises. Without the need for capital expenditure outlays, recipients benefit from reduced utility costs, access to sustainable energy sources and a significant reduction in carbon outputs through clean energy technology.  Perpetual Energy Systems combines renewable energy tax credits with conventional financing to achieve the design, construction, installation and operations of large-scale solar energy systems.  For more information, please contact Laurance Friedman at 914-777-2224 or visit them at www.goperpetual.com <http://www.goperpetual.com/> .
 
About The Bright Group
The Bright Group provides renewable energy development backed with more than 65 years of combined experience in project management and roofing expertise. Headquartered in the beautiful Napa Valley, Bright Group's comprehensive list of services includes integrated solar energy generation, innovative roof applications, financing arrangements, project management and ongoing maintenance. The experienced team at The Bright Group offers a proven track record of recognizing idealistic opportunities for green energy and providing corporations with a complete solar solution from start to finish. For more information, visit www.brightgroup.us <http://www.brightgroup.us/> .
 

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