Kyocera Powers Long Island Cafe

Kyocera Solar, Inc. will be the exclusive provider of photovoltaic (PV) panels to the “Fiesta Solar Community Café,” located in the old Brentwood train station of Long Island, New York.

Scottsdale Arizona – April 24, 2003 [SolarAccess.com] The historic building, constructed in 1904, will incorporate a rooftop PV system from Kyocera as well as a separate solar thermal system to produce hot water. Forty-eight 120 W Kyocera PV panels have already been installed during the first phase of the project, creating a 5.76 kW electrical generating system that is providing more than 100 percent of the building’s required power during reconstruction. During the project’s second phase, additional PV panels will be installed on both the café rooftop and an adjoining carport, powering exterior lighting and equipment. Café owner Christopher Castro is also the owner of Solymar, an authorized Kyocera Solar Dealer/Installer serving the Brentwood community. Castro plans a café menu based on fresh products and ingredients that are low in sugars, fat and cholesterol. “The Fiesta Solar Community Café will offer healthy food in an environmentally friendly establishment,” he said. The café has been designed to meet all requirements of the U.S. Green Building Council’s “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” certification program. It also benefits from the Pioneer Program of the Long Island Power Authority, which promotes solar energy in commercial and residential buildings through rebates of up to US$5 per watt. General construction labor is being provided by volunteers from throughout Long Island. Castro continues to raise funds and recruit volunteers toward a November 2003 grand opening.