Even in states not usually associated with getting a healthy dose of the sun's rays, solar power may be gaining a foothold with some companies.
A building in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, during the 1950s will soon be outfitted with solar panels, making it one of the few clean energy projects of its type in the entire state, according to a report from the Anchorage Daily News. The building will be outfitted with 64 solar panels on its south side, replacing a number of unsightly metal panels.
The project may also have been driven by the fact that a number of the building's tenants are conservation groups with a particular interest in reducing the state's dependence on fossil fuel, the report said. It made the decision to retrofit the wall, which needed replacing anyway, with solar panels an easy one for owner Steve Zelener.
The project will cost about $100,000, but qualified for a 30 percent tax credit from the federal government, the report said. It will generate between 5 and 10 percent of the building's energy needs.
Many companies have turned to solar power to defray energy costs in recent years, as there may be a significant return on their initial investment.
