DSM Switches on New Solar Field

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—DSM, in partnership with GeoPeak and Marina Energy, opened a solar field at its plant in Belvidere, New Jersey, to further its commitment to sustainability and climate change goals.

In an event for local dignitaries, employees and business executives to switch on the solar field, Hugh Welsh, DSM’s North American president, highlighted the benefits of the solar field on the Belvidere plant’s energy consumption, the positive impact on the local community’s electric grid, DSM’s energy leadership in New Jersey and the impact the renewable energy source will have in reducing carbon emissions.

The solar panels were glazed with DSM’s proprietary KhepriCoat® anti-reflective glass coating, the company’s flagship product for the solar market. The coating is applied to the cover the glass of the solar modules and strongly reduces the reflection of sunlight. This increases the energy output of these modules up to 4 percent, improving the efficiency of solar modules and reducing the cost of the energy produced.

•        The Belvidere solar field project is a 6 megawatt solar generation facility that will provide approximately 6,437,020 kilowatts annually. This will produce approximately 30 to 40 percent of the Belvidere plant’s electricity needs at peak production.

•        The Belvidere solar field also offsets carbon dioxide emissions from the grid by more than 4,563 metric tons annually.

•        In order to accommodate the field, nearly 100 trees were removed. Those trees have since been replanted and can be viewed on site.

The new solar project will save DSM more than $290,000 annually in electricity costs, according to Welsh.

DSM also recently won the 2014 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award in the Healthy and Sustainable Business category.