Troy working with Monolith on solar array

Monolith Solar panels expected to save city $100K on electric bill

Monolith Solar is installing solar panels on the Knickerbacker Ice Arena roof as the city aims to turn on its 2.1 megawatt citywide solar system in May.

Workers carried the roughly 4-by-6-foot panels across the roof before gingerly lowering them into the frames that will support them.

"It's great. We're getting into reduced electricity costs and reducing the carbon footprint," Mayor Patrick Madden said.

Troy represents one of the largest customers for Monolith. Its 2.1 megawatts is the largest in the 30 megawatt portfolio.

Madden climbed up on the arena's roof with Monolith's co-presidents, CEO Mark Fobare and COO Steven A. Erby, to inspect the installation.

"I see lots of glass going up," Erby said about the panels.

Monolith Solar is spending more than $4 million to install the system. The city anticipates saving $100,000 annually in electricity costs or about 40 percent of its electricity bill.

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