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SPG SOLAR, INC. INSTALLS SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM AT NEW BERKELEY MONTESSORI SCHOOL WITH LIVE MONITORING FOR SCIENCE CLASSES

7.8 kW Solar System Helps School Fulfill Its Environmental Education Commitment

SAN RAFAEL, CALIF. (March 22, 2004)–SPG Solar, Inc. (SPG) announced today the completion of a 7.8 kilowatt solar energy laboratory for the new "green" Elementary-Middle School campus of the Berkeley Montessori School, Berkeley, Calif. SPG also delivered a solar curriculum for Berkeley Montessori School instructors to use in the school's environmental education programming.

SPG installed four arrays, or groups, of photovoltaic (PV) panels at the school that face the sun at three different angles. The arrays will be separately monitored so science students can compare the power generated by each array according to its orientation to the sun. The electronic monitor readout will be delivered to a computer in the science classroom. Students will be able to track daily and seasonal solar energy production based on the movement of the sun across the sky from winter to summer.

"The photovoltaics allow us an opportunity to expose our children to the importance of conserving the environment in a very tangible way," said Laroilyn H. Davis, Berkeley Montessori head of school. "We are very fortunate to be in a position to utilize this technology in our school."

The new Berkeley Montessori School (BMS) Elementary-Middle School Campus opened for class on Monday, February 23, 2004. BMS is an independent school serving 270 children ages 3 to 14, and has an Early Childhood Campus at a separate location. Berkeley Montessori School is committed to providing an educational background that includes respect for the environment and knowledge of sustainable and renewable sources of energy.

The K-8 solar curriculum, developed by SPG and approved by the California Department of Education, includes elements of chemistry, math, astronomy, meteorology and geography. The curriculum includes interactive lab projects such as Building a Solar Oven and Building a Solar Water Heater.

"We're happy to be a part of the educational process at the new Berkeley Montessori School. This is a great opportunity to educate young people on the advantages of renewable energy," said Dan Thompson, president of SPG. "SPG helped create a scientific experiment by dividing the solar system into four arrays with three different exposures to the sun and separate monitoring to demonstrate to students the sun's direct effects."

SPG installed 74 Kyocera KC-125G PV modules at the Elementary-Middle School Campus, and four SMA 2.5 kW Sunny Boy inverters, one for each array. SPG installed an SMA Sunny Boy Plus monitor to track solar electric energy production in real time.

The four solar arrays at BMS tilt towards the sun at three different angles. The first array is tilted at 15 degrees from horizontal; the second array at 22.5 degrees; and the third and fourth arrays at 30 degrees. The 15-degree array will be most productive in the summer when the sun is high overhead. In winter, when the sun is low in the sky, the 30-degree tilted arrays will be the most efficient. Students may find that the 22.5 degree-tilted array is the most productive year-round.

In addition to the photovoltaic system, the BMS Elementary-Middle School Campus features in-floor hydronic radiant heating, passive ventilation, exterior sun control devices, natural daylighting, a light-sensitive dimming system that dims when enough natural light is in the room, point-of-use hot water, and recycled/sustainable building materials including sustainably-harvested bamboo flooring and recycled glass counters.

The BMS Elementary-Middle School Campus is a combined new construction and adaptive remodel project by Pfau Architecture Ltd. of San Francisco, a renowned "green building" architect. The campus is located on the site of the historic Santa Fe Railway Berkeley Depot, a registered landmark. Two new wings were designed by Pfau Architecture Ltd. to accompany the remodeled depot, including the West Building where the solar system is located.

"We believe that as builders of our environment we have a moral obligation to try to implement more sustainable energy solutions and work to reduce our culture's tendency towards poor stewardship of our resources," said Peter Pfau, principal of Pfau Architecture Ltd. "The PV system provides many benefits to the school, particularly its environmental sensitivity, ability to give back to the community, and teach children about alternative energy."

How Solar Works

Solar energy systems consist of three components: PV panels, inverters and a performance monitor. PV panels convert sunlight into DC (direct current) electricity. The inverters change the DC into AC (alternating current), the same power supplied by electric utilities. The AC is distributed through a building's electric service panel and flows to outlets, lights and switches. The performance monitor shows the amount of power the system is generating at any time to verify production. Solar is a clean and renewable form of electricity generation. PV systems generally have no moving parts (with the exception of solar tracking systems), is silent, and produces zero emissions - air, ground or water.

About SPG Solar, Inc.

SPG is a turnkey solar energy project developer, designer and installer for business, government, schools and homes. SPG's performance-based solar systems are monitored to prove their effectiveness in overcoming electrical demand. SPG has installed over 500 solar systems in California, including the Potrero Hill Head Start in San Francisco, and Westmont High School in Campbell, California. Major projects include the Vallejo Police and Fire headquarters, Vallejo, Calif., and the 520 kW system for the Sewerage Commission-Oroville Region. SPG is a licensed and bonded California General B and Electrical C-10 Contractor, License #759086.