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BOULDER, Colo. — Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy has become this city’s only pharmacy using solar power.
The drug store chain installed 20 panels on the awning of its downtown store at 1647 Pearl St. in Boulder, Colo. The panels were installed by Boulder-based Independent Power Systems (IPS) and will generate around 5,400 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, offsetting nearly 100 tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the next 30 years (equivalent to not driving about 200,000 miles).
The 3.72 kilowatt Sanyo Hit Double panels were selected for their unique ability to generate electricity not only from direct sunlight on the front of the panel, but also from ambient light on the back.
In addition, the partially transparent design allows sunlight to pass through the panel, creating unique illumination at the entrance to the store. Monitors installed at the front entrance, visible to both customers and passersby, feature data about real-time energy collection and carbon offsets.
The installation is part of Pharmaca’s commitment to the environment, and it will complement the store’s standard environmentally friendly building features, including bamboo flooring, recycled carpeting and low-VOC paint. Pharmaca also recently replaced the indoor lighting at the store with energy-efficient LED lighting, conserving an additional 29,000 kWh per year.
IPS has designed and installed hundreds of residential and commercial solar electric systems in the Boulder area since 2006, and solar awnings have become a specialty. “I recognized at the initial solar evaluation that Pharmaca’s existing awning structure was practically purpose-built for an IPS design,” said design consultant Steve King.
