OYA SOLAR ANNOUNCES LARGEST ROOFTOP PROJECT IN NORTH AMERICA

To view this Social Media Release, please enter the following address in your web browser: http://smr.newswire.ca/preview/en/oya-solar-inc/oya-solar-announces-largest-rooftop-project

WINDSOR-ESSEX, ON, Sept. 24 /CNW/ - Today OYA Solar Inc. (OYA), Ontario's premiere developer of solar PV systems, announced its newest project with Atlas Tube (Atlas). OYA in conjunction with Atlas, North America's largest independent manufacturer of hollow structural steel sections, will develop North America's largest rooftop Solar Photovoltaic (PV) project. The 3.5 Megawatt (MW) solar project, which will cover nearly 650,000 square feet of roof top space (12 football fields), will be located at the Atlas facility, a division of the John Maneely Company located in Harrow, Ontario.  The project is the largest of both current and planned rooftop solar installations in North America, which currently includes a 2.5 MW System at the FedEx distribution center in New Jersey and a 2.6 MW project in Salt Lake City, Utah. Supplying enough electricity to power 300 homes, the project will provide 30% of Atlas's annual energy consumption. Along with its strategic development partners such as Polar Racking (Polar), Conergy Canada and Tremco Weatherproofing Technologies, OYA expects the first 500 kilowatt (kW) of the project to be commissioned by next spring. The total investment is expected to be $ 20 Million.

"Today we set a new standard for North American rooftop solar projects.  It is truly a testament to Ontario's green energy leadership. OYA Solar takes pride in our ability to engineer and deploy large-scale solar solutions for our clients. We foresee the market for rooftop solar growing significantly and have positioned ourselves well to meet our clients' demanding requirements", said Manish Nayar, Managing Partner of OYA.

In addition to the announcement, Polar, one of OYA's sister companies, unveiled its strategic alliance with Atlas. Polar, who designs, manufactures and assembles racking in Windsor, ON, will work with Atlas to manufacture its second generation of rooftop racking systems. Quickly becoming Ontario's market leader for racking solutions, Polar currently works with the majority of Ontario's solar developers. The new generation of Polar's racking system will build on existing designs and will utilize components manufactured by Atlas.

Incorporating Atlas' steel tube provides Polar with competitive cost, greater strength and structural rigidity over the use of aluminum as well as other benefits in solar applications. "Atlas has been a leader in this field" said David Seeger, President of John Maneely Company (parent of Atlas Tube), "We have seen significant growth in the demand for our steel tube used in solar racking systems, throughout North America. We feel that our manufacturing capacity, value-added services and reputation in the marketplace creates a unique combination of attributes that compliments the growing needs of our solar industry customers."

In 2009 Ontario was the third largest market for Solar PV installations in North America. It is expected to surpass New Jersey and unseat incumbent California in the near future. The Canadian Solar Industry Association (CanSIA) estimates that nearly 100 MW of mostly ground mount system have been installed in Ontario this year. OYA will continue to play a significant role in spurring Ontario's solar PV growth and is actively looking for new projects to add to its 30 MW portfolio. "Our unique value proposition is appealing to commercial and industrial customers" said Anil Hingwe, COO of OYA Solar, "These clients see the benefit of partnering with OYA to develop large and complex solutions that are sustainable for the province's energy needs".

"This announcement continues to position the region as a leader in solar technology and manufacturing. We welcome and congratulate OYA Solar and Atlas Tube on this outstanding announcement today." said Ron Gaudet, CEO of WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation.

The Honourable Minister Sandra Pupatello, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, and Bruce Crozier, MPP for Essex, were on hand to congratulate the local companies showcasing the region as the leader in solar renewable energy by building North America's largest rooftop renewable energy project in Ontario. "Congratulations to OYA Solar Inc. and Atlas Tube - your partnership means new investment and jobs in our community," said Sandra Pupatello, MPP Windsor West and Minister of Economic Development and Trade. "This announcement highlights the manufacturing expertise and capabilities of the Windsor-Essex region, and is representative of how Ontario continues to lead the way in green energy projects."

About OYA Solar Inc.
OYA Solar Inc., a subsidiary of OYA Ventures LLC, designs, develops and operates socially responsible renewable energy projects that promote economic development across the globe. Its mission is to provide access to reliable renewable energy in order to address the challenges of energy independence.  With planned projects in Canada, the US, Africa and South Asia, OYA is committed to reducing the global carbon-based energy footprint and creating a more sustainable global economy. More -  www.oyasolar.ca

About Atlas Tube
Atlas Tube, a division of the John Maneely Company, was founded in Harrow, Ontario in 1984 and has been manufacturing Hollow Structural Sections (HSS) for over three decades. It is the largest HSS producer in North America. Atlas Tube has four State-of-the-Art production facilities in Ontario, Canada; Chicago, IL; Plymouth, MI; and Blytheville, Arkansas producing in excess of 1.4 million tons of HSS tube annually. Today, its steel tubing products are used in some of the most demanding applications including commercial and industrial building columns, sports stadiums, bridges, mobile construction equipment, railcars and oil rigs. In addition, Atlas' HSS tube is used as the support structure of solar panel array systems throughout North America.

About Polar Racking Inc.
Polar Racking is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of Solar PV mounting solutions.  Polar Racking is committed to revolutionizing the racking industry through its highly efficient racking solutions; value added engineering and excellent customer service. With an emphasis on minimizing structural loads and construction time, Polar maximizes ROI by providing integrated solutions that consistently deliver the lowest cost per kilowatt-hour for its clients. Polar Racking is currently the lead racking choice on over 20 MW worth of projects scheduled to be installed in the next 12 months.  We are extremely excited and proud to be the fastest growing solar racking manufacturer in Canada.

For further information:

Media Contacts:
Pamela Vazquez, OYA Solar- 877-464-7657
Jelani Rucker, John Maneely Company Atlas Tube & Wheatland Tube Divisions - 410-446-5447