Hillsborough County courthouse going green with solar power

TAMPA - Hillsborough County is installing hundreds of solar panels on the county courthouse in downtown Tampa, a Hillsborough County official said.

According to a statement issued by county Energy Conservation Manager Randy Klindworth, "The installation is part of a large alternative energy project that Hillsborough County started last year...The solar panels will supply 40-60 percent of the building’s energy load when they are installed and save more than 322,000 kilowatt/hours in power. These solar panels will save the County more than $60,000 annually in energy costs."

The funding for the $1.3 million project comes from a federal stimulus grant. No-one from the county was available to detail how many jobs were created with the stimulus grant.

Two hundred solar panels are going on the roof of the county courthouse on Pierce Street. The panels are 18 feet long, 15 inches wide and only about 1/6 of an inch thick (4 millimeters).