Largest solar-covered parking garage in St Louse opens

Ameren Missouri and BJC Healthcare teamed up to build a solar energy generation facility atop the BJC parking garage located on Duncan Avenue, St. Louis. BJC Healthcare's President and CEO Rich Liekweg has stated, "[we are] known for innovation in health care, we also seek to partner with others in ways that promise improvements and progress for our regions."

Michael Moehn, Chairman and President of Ameren Missouri noted it as an "innovative program [...] the first of its kind in St. Louis", committing otherwise unused space, with unobstructed sun exposure, to "clean, renewable energy" (Kovaleski).

Another partnership, this one between Day and Night Solar and Sachs Electric, designed this 1.8 megawatts (DC) solar array which became part of Ameren Missouri's Solar generation facilities.

The system includes more than 4,500 LG panels, over 100 tons of solar hardware, and more than 400 tons of steel structure lead by Ben-Hur Construction. In total, this system adds more than 500 tons to the overall garage. It will push approximately 2.4 million kilowatt hours of energy onto the electrical grid each year-and for many decades to come.

What is a system of this size capable of saving, protecting, or preventing? Greenhouse emissions prevented equivalent to driving an average passenger car over 4 million miles or the CO2 emissions saved from the charging of about 220 million smartphones. Solar energy has become synonymous with environmental consciousness.

Joseph Barnard, Senior VP of Sachs Electric, stated, "this [project has been] accomplished without displacing any green space or adversely affecting the environment in any way. Our relationship with BJC has spanned many decades and we are very excited to have performed this very unique project for them."

Bob Eaton, Managing Member for Day and Night Solar, "This is a perfect example of real progress in adopting renewable energy assets and creating clean energy that will benefit our grandchildren's children."

Day and Night Solar provides a complete turnkey process, creating local jobs through their relationship with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and choosing high-quality professionals necessary for the most efficient and effective system installation.