Perry Ellis strikes a blow for clean energy at Seneca

Above a hill that looks down on highway 28 and Seneca’s Miracle Circle, a large apparel distributor cut the ribbon yesterday for Oconee’s largest solar power facility. Perry Ellis International, known for its men’s and women’s apparel, cut the ribbon for its installation of more than 2,400 rooftop solar panels. Among the touches for this fancy event were a champagne toast, the appearance of professional models in Perry Ellis clothing, and the visit of some of Perry Ellis’s top officials from Miami, Florida. With technical expertise from Con Edison and Duke Energy, Perry Ellis envisions the rooftop solar panels to produce nearly 60% of the annual energy consumption required by its Seneca distribution plant. Officials are counting on the rooftop solar panels to generate about 1.15 GWh of energy annually, enough to offset a significant portion of the distribution center’s energy needs with what’s called “clean, renewable solar energy.” The Seneca distribution center, the company’s largest, means employment for 280 workers, several of whom attended yesterday’s ribbon cutting.