Gloria Spire Solar LLC, a joint venture company formed by Spire Corp. of Bedford, Mass., and Gloria Solar Co. Ltd. of Taiwan, announced today it has won a contract to design and install a 308-kw photovoltaic (PV) solar electric system at The Lee Co.'s manufacturing facility in Westbrook, Conn. It will be the largest solar electric system to be installed for a manufacturing company in Connecticut, and one of the largest in New England, Spire said in a statement. The system, comprised of 1760 photovoltaic panels on the roof of the newly constructed facility, is approximately half the size of a football field, covering nearly 29,000 square feet of roof space. At peak power, it will generate enough electricity to cleanly provide 17 percent of the manufacturing facility's power consumption. This is equivalent to the power usage of 34 homes for a year. Spire said the installation will preclude the emission of 282 tons of carbon dioxide associated with combusting conventional fossil fuels. Spire Corp. makes solar energy manufacturing equipment and solar systems, biomedical devices and optoelectronic components. Gloria Spire Solar has installed a variety of PV systems across the US, and said The Lee Co. project reflects its current emphasis on large-scale business, government and utility solar energy solutions. The Lee Co., which has been in business for about 50 years, makes miniature fluid control components for aerospace and other industrial applications. It employs nearly 800 people in Connecticut and more than 100 at its Westbrook facility. It said the installation of the 308-kw system will play a crucial role in its plans for new facilities and jobs in the area. The project is made possible, in part, by a $1.2 million grant from Connecticut Innovations, which will defray approximately half the cost of the PV system. Connecticut Innovations is a quasi-public organization dedicated to stimulating high-tech growth and clean energy initiatives. For more information, visit: gloriaspire.com