While gas stations aren’t typically the first thing to come to mind when someone says “green building,” a St. Louis area gas station challenges that perception. The ZOOM station’s unconventional-looking canopy over its gas pumps supports a two-way solar panel system capable of producing 109,000 kWh of electricity annually—enough to power most of the station and its convenience store and car wash. Manufactured by Prism Solar Technologies, the glass-on-glass solar panels can generate 35% more energy per watt than traditional modules via advanced bifacial N-type silicon cell technology that can generate electricity on both its front and back surfaces. The panels also offer exceptional performance in low light conditions due to the additional energy produced by its back surface.
