One lane of Henley Street traveling south (toward the bridge) will be closed beginning Tuesday, August 24, near the Clinch Avenue intersection for the installation of part of a 28.5 kW solar photovoltaic system on the roof of the Knoxville Convention Center.

The solar array is being installed as part of an ongoing program of energy improvements being made by the City of Knoxville through its contract with Ameresco, a Massachusetts-based energy services company.

The initial work - installing the solar mounting system - is expected to take about four days so the partial lane closure will be in effect at least into Friday, August 27. Ultimately the system will include 126, 65x40 inch panels in addition to a 30-ton chiller and other equipment. The installation will be done in phases and completed in October.

It will be the largest solar array in the city when it is finished. Some of the electric power it be used to support convention center operations and some will go to TVA as part of its Generation Partners Program.

The array is one of two solar photovoltaic electric power generation systems planned for the convention center roof. The city is currently working on plans to install a 100kW system at a later date.

The city and Ameresco entered into a $19 million energy conservation package last year that calls for the company to provide energy improvements that will reduce the city's energy costs and consumption while reducing carbon emissions.

The savings generated by the conservation measures are designed to pay for the costs of installing and maintaining the improvements at the city's 99 buildings, 37 ballparks/athletic fields and its three golf courses. The payback period is estimated at 13 years.

Knoxville is one of only three Department of Energy's Solar America Cities located in the Southeast and is actively promoting the development of a viable solar infrastructure in the city.