Carmanah will provide up to US$400,000 in i-SHELTER systems to be installed throughout downtown Seattle and its surrounding areas over the next two years. A purchase order for 50 percent of the systems has been received and they are scheduled to ship this month.
This unique, intelligent solar-powered technology will provide Seattle with bus shelter lighting without the high installation costs, traffic disruption and ongoing maintenance costs associated with conventional grid-powered lighting.
"Seattle is a challenging location for solar power, due to its high yearly precipitation and cloud levels," states CEO Art Aylesworth. "However, having run successful trials there over the past year and having proven the performance and reliability of our i-SHELTER solar LED lighting systems in other difficult environments including Portland and Tacoma as well as Vancouver, Canada and even Edinburgh, Scotland, we are looking forward to replicating our success in Seattle."
For the past 16 months, Carmanah has worked closely with Metro Transit to fine-tune a customized product design that matched specific system operating profile requirements while remaining cost-effective, maintenance free and visually pleasing. Carmanah's patented MICROSOURCE Energy Management System will also automatically optimize operation and reliability for Seattle's low sunlight conditions.
On May 10 of this year the Washington State legislature overwhelmingly passed bills SB 5101 and SB 5111, which have been called the most progressive renewable energy legislation ever passed in any US state. Comparable legislation in Japan has made that country the world's largest photovoltaic consumer.
"In coming years all eyes may be on Washington State as a solar energy leader," states Aylesworth. "We are proud to have established a strong foothold in this region, helping to make a world-renowned 'green' city even greener and showcasing the potential of solar power for other US locations."
