Hurricane-Resistant Solar Panels Power Broward County Building

By Anuradha KherFort Lauderdale, Fla.– Advanced Green Technologies, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based company that provides sustainable building solutions and renewable energy products for residential and commercial applications officially opened its 10,000-sq.-ft. building topped by hurricane-resistant solar panels. The building belongs to Advanced Roofing, a 24-year-old company of which AGT is a subsidiary.Florida Governor Charlie Crist presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony and reviewed the renewable energy efforts of the company. “They’re doing such great things and making such a difference,” said Gov. Crist. “The largest solar panel roof in Florida is obviously a good example.”The building is an office and warehouse. During daytime hours, up to 100 percent of the building consumption is supplied by solar power. The AGT system is interconnected to the Florida Power and Light utility grid and overproduction is fed back to the grid, turning the meter backward. AGT currently has two products that use solar technology. Flexlight, which creates electricity, and Solar-Thermo, used for heating water. While AGT does not currently have any multifamily projects, “several of them are under development,” says Yann Brandt, vice president of AGT. “There are federal incentives for using renewable energy, so owners of multifamily homes are interested in finding out about