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HAMILTON, NJ-Solis Partners has completed installation of a 198-kilowatt rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system at Princetel, a fiber-optic rotary joint manufacturer based here. Princetel acquired the new facility, a former brownfield site, in 2010.

The system was designed, engineered and constructed atop Princetel’s 41,500-square-foot facility at 2560 E. State St by Solis. Princetel, which moved into the facility in March of 2011, makes coupling devices used in winches, robotic vehicles, wind turbines, satellite antennas, high-definition broadcasting systems, medical imaging systems and submarines.

Jamie Hahn, co-founder and managing director of Solis Partners, says in a release that the PV system will not only reduce electricity costs at the Princetel plant, but is also “an extension of Princetel's efforts to integrate sustainability into the company's corporate DNA." In the release, Princetel CEO Barry Zhang says, "Implementation of sustainable practices and products wherever possible is fundamental to the culture at Princetel. Beyond the environmental benefits, we firmly believe the sustainable projects that we have undertaken make sound business sense."

Princetel bought the 3.2-acre Hamilton property two years ago. Under state Department of Environmental Protection Agency supervision, it removed and replaced the soil, including that underneath the building, Princetel added rainwater harvesting system and a new energy-efficient air conditioning system, along with other upgrades to the facility. With the completion of the PV system, the company is seeking LEED Gold accreditation from the US Green Building Council.

"Running a successful business doesn't mean you have to ruin the environment," Zhang says in the release. "Thinking holistically about our environmental impact is woven into the fabric of our company values and has created a culture for our employees.”