National Service Day Project Demonstrates Scalability of Investments to Create Jobs, Jump Start Economies and Improve the Environment

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Dozens of volunteers today are joining Kelly & Sons Electrical Construction, Standard Solar, Inc., two WGL Holdings subsidiaries and SunPower Corporation to demonstrate how quickly and efficiently a public school - and a community - can repower itself as part of President-elect Barack Obama's National Day of Service and the role investments such as this can serve in rebuilding the economy.

The companies come together under the auspices of the League of Conservation Voters and the District of Columbia's Department of the Environment (DDOE) Energy Office to equip the historic Sousa Middle School in Southeast DC with the ability to generate some of its own electricity with solar panels.

Volunteers including employees of Gaithersburg, MD-based Standard Solar and Kelly & Sons Electrical Construction of Upper Marlboro, MD, this morning began work on a 1.8 kilowatt solar electric system using about $20,000 worth of SunPower panels, inverters and other hardware. Compared to electricity supplied by burning coal, this system will reduce carbon emissions by about 4,760 pounds in a typical 12-month period. From another perspective, this carbon offset is equivalent to planting approximately one acre of trees.

"The National Day of Service is a great opportunity to show our students their community's commitment to improving the environment" said Harry Warren, president of Washington Gas Energy Services, a regional energy supply company. "Not only does increasing energy efficiency and expanding renewable energy use in our schools help the environment, bolster our energy security and create jobs, it also expands our children's education," added Washington Gas Energy Systems General Manager Jeetu Jodhpurkar.

"As a locally-owned union electrical contractor, we at Kelly are taking steps to help the environment by lowering greenhouse gas emissions, while growing our business so we can create high-paying jobs for our craftsmen in the years to come," said Steve Skolnik, Vice-President / Operations at Kelly. "We understand the importance of working together: contractors, union craftsmen, and manufacturers teaming up for the good of the economy and the environment."

"Today, in the spirit of national service, we have come together to install a small solar array on the roof of a wonderfully modernized historic school building. Tomorrow, under the leadership of President Barack Obama, we take up the task of revitalizing our economy and modernizing our infrastructure," said Anthony Clifford, President and CEO of Standard Solar. "With solar-generated electricity as a significant new energy source, we will create hundreds of thousands of 'green collar' jobs, help modernize our aging electrical grid, reduce greenhouse gases, and help get our economy moving again."

"This demonstration project marks the beginning of a U.S. Department of Energy Solar Showcase Program to install solar on many schools," noted Jack Werner, Director of the DDOE Energy Office.

The Sousa Middle School was involved in the landmark 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling in 1954 that declared separate educational facilities for black and white students are "inherently unequal."

About Kelly & Sons Electrical Construction

Headquartered in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, John E. Kelly & Sons Electrical Construction, Inc. is a family owned electrical contracting firm serving the Washington, DC metropolitan area, providing quality electrical service for over 25 years. For more information on the firm, refer to the company's website at www.kellycos.com.

About Washington Gas Energy Services

Washington Gas Energy Services, Inc. supplies natural gas, electricity, renewable energy and conservation services to nearly 200,000 customers in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and the District of Columbia. Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc. designs and constructs energy conservation projects for governmental and commercial clients. Both companies are subsidiaries of WGL Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: WGL). Information about the WGL Holdings family of companies can be accessed on the company's website www.wglholdings.com.

About Standard Solar

Standard Solar is a full-service, turnkey solar system developer and integrator specializing in residential and commercial solar power installations. With hundreds of installations to date, Standard Solar is a Maryland-based company well- positioned to meet the growing demand for clean technologies and renewable sources of energy. The company has added more than 50 green collar jobs in the past year. For more information, please visit: www.StandardSolar.com.

About SunPower

SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) designs, manufactures and delivers high-performance solar electric systems worldwide for residential, commercial and utility-scale power plant customers. SunPower high-efficiency solar cells and solar panels generate up to 50 percent more power than conventional solar technologies and have a uniquely attractive, all-black appearance. With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpowercorp.com.

SOURCE Standard Solar, Inc.