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GREENSBORO — Duke Energy will install 7,020 solar photovoltaic panels atop the roof of a Greensboro industrial building as part of the utility’s efforts to supply more electricity through renewable sources.
 

The panels are expected to generate 1.6 megawatts of energy at the 418,000-square-foot building on Brigham Road. The Enterprise Park II building is owned by Raleigh-based Highwoods Properties .
 

Installation is expected to begin in late November, said Kelly Maicon , Highwoods’ media relations manager.
 

“With close to 6 million square feet of office and industrial space in the Triad, Highwoods has the infrastructure to help Duke Energy with their initiative and be a part of something positive for our community and the environment,” Maicon said.
 

The first phase of Duke’s program also includes installing 5,096 panels at the National Gypsum Co. in Mount Holly, 5,616 panels at a Food Lion in Salisbury, and 2,314 panels at Childress Klein Properties  in Charlotte.
 

Duke Energy is finishing  contracts with solar installers and plans to complete installation in the next six months, said spokesman Jason Walls .

Duke will compensate property owners for leased space and maintain the panels.
 

The utility expects to announce a second phase of leases for medium-sized commercial buildings by the end of the year and a third phase for residential buildings by the first quarter of 2010, Walls said. All together, Duke will invest about $50 million and generate 10 megawatts of solar energy through the program, enough to power 1,300 homes.
 

“We wanted to work with some large rooftops so we could get some significant generation on board before moving to some residential installations,” Walls said.
 

The project is part of Duke Energy’s efforts to comply with a state law requiring public utilities to meet at least 12.5 percent of their retail customers’ electricity needs through new renewable energy sources or efficiency measures by 2021.
 

The Charlotte-based company contracted with Maryland-based SunEdison to build a 16-megawatt solar farm in Davidson County, and it will partner with UNC to build up to three demonstration wind turbines in the Pamlico Sound.

Contact Morgan Josey Glover at 373-7078 or morgan.josey@news-record.com