A Chinese company has been selected by the Sacramento Kings to install solar panels on the new arena in downtown Sacramento.
SPI Solar moved its world headquarters from Roseville to China in January to take advantage of a booming solar market there. The company maintains its U.S. offices in Roseville.
Steve Kircher is the company's founder. He says 3,000 panels on the arena will produce 1.2 million kilowatt hours per year and will be visible from the air.
"You'll see the octagonal shape of the arena. And to design the system so that it fits and looks symmetric up on the roof is important when you do a fly-over. You don't want pieces that are here and another piece over there."
The company is paying $2.5 million for the panels which it will own.
Representatives from the Chinese headquarters toured the arena site Monday.
Kircher says the company has also paid an undisclosed amount to be one the Sacramento Kings' "legacy partners."
"The Kings have been and started already introducing us to other legacy partners and vice-a-versa so we can all help ourselves with the arena."
The team's goal is to receive a LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The team is installing underground chillers and a system to collect condensation which will be used to water the arena's landscaping.
SPI may also install a solar power storage facility on site.
Installation is scheduled to begin this winter.
The company also installed solar arrays at the Aerojet facility in Sacramento and Staples Center in Los Angeles.
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