Solar-powered billboard now located here
On Monday, December 8, the global camera manufacturing company Ricoh completed the installation of a solar-powered billboard in the famous Times Square. Even if you’ve never been to Manhattan, you should be familiar with the glitzy, blinking lights in this famous public gathering place. In fact, with New Year’s Eve quickly approaching, all eyes will be again focused on the huge crystal ball (smartly lit with LED lights now) that drops in Times Square at midnight. Although I live on the West Coast, I have always dreamed about attending the New Year’s Eve festivities there with other revelers!
But getting back to the new solar-powered billboard, let’s consider how the project looks in the City that Never Sleeps? Here are a few quick facts about Ricoh’s 100% renewable advertisement:
Cost: $3 million
Location: Northwest corner of Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street, installed 55 feet above the ground, above the Chase sign
Size: 47 feet high by 126 feet long
Weight: 35,000 pounds
Powered by: 64 solar panels and 16 wind turbines
Energy savings: $12,000-$15,000 per month
Carbon reduction: 18 tons annually
Overall: Pretty impressive use of renewable energy power! It is the only solar-powered billboard in Times Square!
The solar-powered billboard for Times Square
The Chairman and CEO of Ricoh Americas Corporation, Kirk Yoshida, observed:
“Ricoh is pleased to have such a large presence in Times Square, but we are even more excited that we will be able to do so without the need for an electrical power source other than those provided by natural resources. By having the eco-friendly sign in Times Square, Ricoh will not only be able to promote our brand, but also show to the world that we a leader in environmental conservation and at the forefront of sustainable environmental management for years.”
Interestingly, there is not a back-up power generator for the solar-powered billboard. So, when the sun does not shine for an extended period of time, and breezes are still, Ricoh’s sign goes dark, among other garishly lit advertising billboards surrounding it.
The flashing, blinking lights are a pretty spectacular sight in Times Square. But with energy issues and global warming on our collective minds, other companies should take Ricoh’s lead in advertising green.
Tags: manhattan, ricoh, solar-powered billboard, times square
