14 March 2005 - The largest ground mounted solar electric system in New Jersey, US, is to be installed at New Jersey American Water's (NJAW) Canal Road water treatment plant in Somerset.

The 500 kW ground mounted system will be designed and built by Dome-Tech Solar and will include more than 2800 solar panels from RWE Schott Solar. During peak production periods, the electricity produced by the solar system would be enough to meet the average electricity demand of around 500 local homes. The project is due to be completed in the first half of 2005.

NJAW expect the installation to supplement 15 per cent of the peak usage power needed to run the plant with solar energy, which will result in an approximate yearly saving of $125 000 in energy costs as well as other monetary benefits.

The President of NJAW, Walter Lynch, added: "With the rebate from the New Jersey Energy Programme, the solar system alone will pay for itself in about seven years, possibly creating larger savings as the system continues to produce energy for many more years."