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Rochester Hills, MI, May 6, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE):  Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) (Nasdaq:ENER) today announced that a total of 1.8MW of its UNI-SOLAR® brand photovoltaic laminates were installed on the Toyota Parts Center Europe building in Belgium. Toyota recently officially inaugurated the solar panel park, which Blue Planet Solar NV financed, built and will operate. The installation includes 12,800 panels on the roof and covers 861,000 sq.ft., making it one of the largest thin-film solar panel rooftop installations in Belgium.

This is the third project the company has done for Toyota. In 2007, the company won a $3.3 million order for a BIPV roofing system that was installed on a building owned by a division of Toyota Germany AG, in Germany. And, in 2006, ECD provided a 700 kW BIPV roofing system for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. for their New York Region parts distribution center located in New Jersey.The rooftop solar installation will produce between 15% and 20% of the annual electricity requirements of the facility. With a peak power supply of 1.84 MW, the panels can produce 1,620 MWh/year. The CO2 saving is forecast to be 1,875 tons/year. As a result, Toyota will considerably reduce its CO2 emissions while also making significant savings on its energy bill.

For purposes of this financial assistance opportunity, eligible projects may include solar energy; wind; low-impact hydropower; geothermal; biologically derived methane gas, including landfill gas; biomass; fuel cells; coal-mine methane; waste coal; integrated gasification combined cycle; demand management measures, including recycled energy and energy recovery, energy efficiency and load management; and clean, alternative fuels for transportation.

Under this solicitation, PEDA may award financial assistance in the form of grants of up to $1 million. Funding for projects may be used for capital equipment, construction associated with capital projects and land acquisition.  This is a competitive solicitation and funding will be determined by vote of the Board of Directors. Guidelines may be viewed and downloaded from the PEDA web site at www.depweb.state.pa.us, Keyword ''PEDA'' on or after April 30, 2010. Applications must be submitted online and will be available on April 30, 2010, at www.grants.dcnr.state.pa.us.  Applications will be accepted from April 30, 2010, through 4 p.m. June 15, 2010.

Lancaster: More than 80 people including local government officials, educators, architects, realtors, developers, and other representatives of the industry toured three renewable energy sites in Lancaster on Thursday, April 22, 2010 as a part of the first Field Tour of Renewable Energy sponsored by the Center of Excellence in Renewable Energy and the Economic Development Company of Lancaster County.

After a breakfast at the Farm and Home Center where Center Chair Terry Kile of Horst Construction introduced the Center and briefed participants on the itinerary, the group stopped first at Kline's Services in Salunga where Brad Brubaker provided an overview of a "food to fuel" system that converts used cooking grease (from more than 1,000 locations) into power that fuels the Kline operation.  A short drive up SR 283, the group stopped at the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center to tour a house being built for sale by LCCTC students which has all of the "bells and whistles" of an energy efficient house including solar-heated water, rainwater recovery system, super-insulated walls and windows, and other features.

Finally, the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority hosted the group at its Resource Recovery Facility (the County Incinerator) in Bainbridge.  Participants had an opportunity to tour the plant which consistently generates 35 kilowatts of electricity by burning trash from the County and beyond.  In the process, the plant recovers metal and recycles it to further lower the cost of operation.

Participants raved about the tour.  One participant wrote, "Just wanted to say thanks for the field trip.  It was great...and can you keep me on the list if you decide to do another one?"

To follow the success of this event, the Center is currently planning quarterly breakfasts to bring people from the industry together as well as another field tour for fall 2010.  For more information, contact Scott Sheely at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .