In Q.C. alternative energy news ...

Duke Energy Carolinas will install solar panels at four N.C. businesses — including Childress Klein Properties Inc., Food Lion and National Gypsum Co. —in the first phase of its $50 million rooftop solar project.

Duke will own and operate 2,314 panels, with a capacity of 532 kilowatts, on one of Childress Klein’s buildings in the North Park Business Park. Childress Klein spokesman Landon Wyatt says it will be Building 19, at 6935 Reams Road.

Meanwhile, Duke will install 5,096 rooftop panels, with a capacity of 1.2 megawatts, at National Gypsum’s manufacturing plant in Mount Holly. And 5,616 panels, with a capacity of 1.3 megawatts, are planned for the roof of Food Lion’s distribution center in Salisbury.

The only installation outside the Charlotte region will be in Greensboro. Duke will install 7,020 panels, with a capacity of 1.6 megawatts, on Highwoods Properties Inc.’s building in Enterprise Park.

The first round of installations will be completed by the end of March. When the full project is built out, Duke estimates the panels will produce enough energy to serve as many as 1,300 homes.

Read the entire Charlotte Business Journal article here.

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