GM to install solar panels at Baltimore plant
Associated Press 08.21.08, 12:14 PM ET
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BALTIMORE -

General Motors Corp. said Thursday it will install solar panels on the
roof of its transmission assembly plant in White Marsh, Md., allowing
the automaker to displace 20 percent of the power that it buys from a
local utility.

It also said that as of last year, all waste generated by the plant is
reused or recycled.

SunEdison will finance, install, operate and maintain the solar panel
system. It will consist of about 8,700 solar panels and use
approximately 300,000 square feet of roof space.

The 1.2 megawatt installation will generate enough power to run about
140 to 150 homes for a year.

The plant is GM's first to operate landfill-free and have a solar
power installation.

GM has solar power installations on the roofs of its Rancho Cucamonga
and Fontana, Calif., parts warehouses. Later this year, the world's
largest solar power installation at GM's Zaragoza, Spain, car assembly
plant will be completed.

The Baltimore plant builds the Allison A1000 six-speed automatic
transmissions for the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size
pickups. It also builds the Hybrid 2 mode transmission used in the
Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid and GMC Yukon hybrid.

GM shares fell 40 cents, or 3.9 percent, to $9.79 in midday trading.

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