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Mount Kisco's Grand Prix New York Goes Solar

MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. – Grand Prix New York has seen the light. To reduce its energy use, the indoor racing and entertainment venue recently installed 216 solar panels on its roof and replaced a portion of its lighting system with long-lasting LED bulbs.

Grand Prix New York in Mount Kisco recently installed rooftop solar panels and interior LED lights to save energy.

Grand Prix New York in Mount Kisco recently installed rooftop solar panels and interior LED lights to save energy.

Photo Credit: Grand Prix New York
The project, which cost $218,000 in all, took six months to finish including the permitting process, utility interconnection and installation. Actual installation of the solar panels took about a month.

The project, which cost $218,000 in all, took six months to finish including the permitting process, utility interconnection and installation. Actual installation of the solar panels took about a month.

Photo Credit: Grand Prix New York
The project was facilitated by an $86,940 rebate from NYSERDA.

The project was facilitated by an $86,940 rebate from NYSERDA.

Photo Credit: Grand Prix New York

This "green" project, which cost $218,000 in all, took six months to finish, including the permitting process. The installation will result in significant long-term energy savings for the facility, according to Grand Prix New York.

The solar panel system will generate 58,360 kilowatt hours annually and save about $10,000 on the company’s electric bill over the next year.

“This is a win-win situation for everyone,” said Nat Mundy, the facility's co-founder and vice president. 

The building’s owner, Diamond Properties, paid for the solar panel project, which serves the 120,000-square-foot space that houses a quarter-mile racetrack, a 19-lane bowling center, a restaurant, an arcade and conference rooms, among other features.

The project was facilitated by an $86,940 rebate from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. In addition, a 30 percent federal investment tax credit and accelerated depreciation schedule are available for a solar project of this size.

The new LED lighting at Grand Prix was manufactured and installed by Mount Kisco-based Xeleum Lighting and has the potential to produce an annual energy cost savings of 60 to 80 percent. The facility will continue lighting upgrades until the entire space is converted to LED, Grand Prix New York said.

“We’re obviously happy to cut down our electricity costs, but this is also about being good corporate citizens," Mundy said. "If more businesses looked at solar power, it would help reduce pollution and decrease dependence on oil."

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