Ceremony to Launch Solar Panel Project

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A ceremony to celebrate the launch of the Soaring Heights Community solar panel project will be held here, Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 2:30 p.m.

The solar panel project is part of a joint effort between the Soaring Heights Community on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Actus Lend Lease, SolarCity, Tucson Electric Power, National Bank of Arizona and U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation.

The solar panel system, currently being installed, is expected to produce more than 10 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. This is sufficient enough to provide an estimated 75 percent of the residents' energy use next year and may offset 100 percent of electricity use in the future.

"We are very excited about the Soaring Heights Community project because it allows us to leverage our background and expertise in renewable energy initiatives as they relate to community development," said Dale Connor, Actus Lend Lease managing director. "We look forward to working closely with our partners and the Department of Defense to set a standard for sustainable living here in Arizona and throughout the country."

The panels are also estimated to offset more than 570 million pounds of carbon dioxide over the lifetime of the system, which is equivalent to taking 50,000 cars off the road for a year or planting more than 300,000 trees.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Media interested in covering this event should contact the 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office at 228-4291 by 1 p.m. on Nov. 9. If interested, plan to arrive at the Craycroft Gate Visitors' Center at 1:45 p.m.