Solar-powered roof set to be unveiled

Salisbury law firm Wallace & Graham will unveil its new solar-powered rooftop electric system Wednesday with guest Amory Lovins, an environmentalist and alternative energy champion who leads the Rocky Mountain Institute.

The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the firm's offices, 604-A N. Lee St.

The firm recently invested in a 173.25 kilowatt grid-tied solar electric system, one of the largest privately-owned photovoltaic systems in the region to date, a press release said.

"State and federal tax incentives, along with purchase agreements with NC GreenPower and Duke Energy, combine to create a solid financial opportunity and is part of an energy strategy to create lower long-term operating costs while offering environmental benefits to the community," the press release said.

The firm calls the system, installed and commissioned by Sundance Power Systems on the rooftop of the building that houses its Medical Department, "a secure investment that promises significant financial returns, transforming what was once an empty rooftop into a productive profit center."

"The switch to green renewable energy will also greatly reduce the firm's carbon footprint and overall environmental impact," the press release said.

This project, the press release said, exemplifies Amory Lovins' presentation, "Profitable Solutions to Climate, Oil and Proliferation," which he will give Tuesday at The Center for the Environment at Catawba College.

Recognized as "one of the Western world's most influential energy thinkers" by Newsweek, Lovins will speak at the reception along with regional energy leaders Dr. Stephen Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy; Ivan Urlaub, executive director of the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association; and Katie Shepherd of NC GreenPower.