Solar Panels to supply about quarter of Pittsburg chemical plant’s power
by Andrea Eilenberger, The Express-Times
Phillipsburg, August 24, 2007
By ANDREA EILENBERGER
Town planning board members Thursday night approved the manufacturer’s plan to construct a canopy to support solar panels. Using the panels will save the Riverside Way plant about 25 percent of its regular energy use per year, plant manager Raymond Freaney said. Alternative use is “definitely an initiative throughout the state,” Freaney said.
Gulbrandsen manufactures chemical solutions for industries such as water treatment, personal care and pigments, according to the company’s Web site. It has locations across the United States and in India, England and China, the site says. The setup Gulbrandsen is planning won’t be enough to run the entire plant, but could help the company earn credit if it puts energy back into the grid.
The canopy will be 52 feet wide and 200 feet long and the area below is expected to be used as a carport. Gulbrandsen still needs approvals from Warren County and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection officials, but Gulbrandsen attorney Brian Tipton said he doesn’t anticipate any problems securing them.
Planning board members want to ensure the solar panels don’t create a glare, which could be dangerous to drivers on area roads, especially the free bridge. Planners also questioned fire safety on the plant property. A letter from the town fire chief expressed concern that it could take a substantial amount of time to establish adequate water flow to fight a major fire at the property.
The proximity of the railroad means the company would need access from Norfolk-Southern to tie into another water line on Broad Street, but that scenario seems unlikely, officials and Gulbrandsen representatives said.