West Music adding rooftop solar array

A longtime Corridor business is looking to save money on its electric bill, reduce its overall carbon footprint, and inspire similar actions in the community to improve air quality.

West Music has contracted with CB Solar from Des Moines and Advanced Electrical Services of Iowa City for the installation of more than 200 solar panels on the roof its headquarters at 1212 Fifth St. in Coralville. The panels convert sunlight into electricity.

The 64.8 kilowatt system is expected to produce approximately 97,000 kilowatts of electricity annually. Over the next 25 years, the solar panels are estimated to offset 4.7 million pounds of carbon dioxide, which can be compared with planting 40 acres of trees or taking 25 vehicles off the road.

'The installation on the roof of our headquarters is a work in progress,” said Glenda O'Neil, project lead at West Music. 'Advanced Electrical Services will be out this week. We have quite a lot of wiring and conduit to run. The system also needs to pass inspection by the city and MidAmerican Energy before we can flip the switch.”

O'Neil, who has a solar array installed at her home, talked about her experience with Steve West, chairman of West Music, and Ryan West, senior vice president of the company.

'I told them that I was very happy,” O'Neil said. 'I work in accounts payable at West Music where I pay the bills. We were talking about it and saying ‘Look at this expense that can be reduced and have a great community initiative going on at the same time.'”

O'Neil said a second 200-panel, 64.8 kilowatt system will be installed later this summer on the roof of the company's fulfillment center at 401 Westcor Dr. in Coralville.

West Music joins a number of other Corridor businesses and institutions, such as the University of Iowa and Van Meter Inc., that have installed solar panels, wind turbines or other alternative energy sources in recent years.