Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority Turns to Solar Energy With Help of Vanguard Energy Partners and Sharp

Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority Turns to Solar Energy With Help of
Vanguard Energy Partners and Sharp
Expands its renewable energy portfolio with unique solar electricity
installation at wastewater treatment plant resulting in nearly $50,000 annual
savings

WALDWICK, N.J., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanguard Energy Partners, a leader in
the design and installation of large-scale solar electric systems, and Sharp
Solar Energy Solutions, a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, today
announce the deployment of a 334-kilowatt solar power system at the Northwest
Bergen County Utilities Authority (NBCUA) wastewater treatment plant in
Waldwick, New Jersey. Completed earlier this month, this
creatively-constructed solar array will offset a portion of the utility's
electricity bills while helping to further its overall sustainability efforts.

"With the dedication of this solar installation today, we're taking action as
a county to combat rising electricity costs by taking advantage of clean,
renewable solar energy," said Howard Hurwitz, executive director, NBCUA. "This
system will provide lasting economic and environmental savings, while
fostering the growth of green energy and clean tech jobs in our community."

Challenged with limited land and roof space, Vanguard designed and installed
an innovative solar canopy structure over the plant's aeration tanks, using
1,547 Sharp ND-U216C1 216-watt solar modules. The adoption of renewable solar
energy will provide nearly 40 percent of the wastewater treatment plant's
electricity needs when operating at full output.(1) The system will produce an
estimated 364,742 kilowatt hours per year, which translates into an annual
energy savings of nearly $50,000 for the utility. In addition to the economic
benefits enjoyed by the NBCUA, the completed system lessens the plant's
environmental impact by reducing CO2 emissions by 577,489 pounds per year.
That is equivalent to 29,733 gallons of gasoline, 609 barrels of oil
conserved, or removing 48 cars off the road each year.

"We are thrilled to have been tasked with this challenging solar project, and
applaud the NBCUA for taking steps to achieve New Jersey's long-term energy
goals," said Paul Zensky, president, Vanguard Energy Partners.

"This installation is a direct result of New Jersey's ambitious goals to
reduce its dependence on non-renewable energy sources like coal and oil,
building the bridge to a cleaner, healthier environment," said Ron Kenedi,
vice president, Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group. "We are pleased to be able
to help the NBCUA reach its goals of sustainability by harnessing the power of
solar energy."

This project was funded by a rebate from the New Jersey Clean Energy Program,
a statewide program that offers financial incentives, programs and services
for New Jersey residents, business owners and local governments who install
renewable energy. Vanguard Energy Partners teamed with Ferreira Construction
to perform the site work, civil engineering and steel erection of the system.
Additionally, Noveda Technologies' SunFlow Monitor(TM), a real-time, online
energy monitoring system, will track the facility's power consumption, solar
production and system efficiency.

About Sharp
Sharp Electronics Corporation is the U.S. subsidiary of Japan's Sharp
Corporation, a worldwide developer of one-of-a-kind home entertainment
products, appliances, networked multifunctional office solutions, solar energy
solutions and mobile communication and information tools. Leading brands
include AQUOS(®) Liquid Crystal Televisions, 1-Bit(TM) digital audio products,
SharpVision(®) projection products, Insight(®) Microwave Drawer(TM)(
)appliances, Plasmacluster(®) air purifiers, and Notevision(®) multimedia
projectors. For more information visit Sharp Electronics Corporation at
www.sharpusa.com.

About Vanguard Energy Partners, LLC:
Vanguard Energy Partners, LLC (www.vanguardenergypartners.com) is a renewable
energy company that provides innovative power solutions and energy efficiency
measures for commercial and industrial applications within the private and
public sectors. With operating offices in New Jersey, New York and Florida,
Vanguard excels at the planning, design and construction of turnkey solar
electric systems and has extensive experience in construction, commercial
roofing and electrical systems management. With over 100 solar electric
installations, Vanguard has completed over 8MW of DC rated capacity.

(1) The solar electricity system will provide nearly 40 percent of the plant's
electricity needs when operating at full output. Annually, it will provide a
projected five percent of the plant's electricity usage.

SOURCE Vanguard Energy Partners, LLC

Tom Buono, Vanguard Energy Partners, +1-908-534-1302,
TBuono@vanguardenergypartners.com, or Susan Devico, for Sharp Solar Energy
Solutions, +1-646-484-4568, susandv@aol.com