[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Stn8mb7Jf8Q]
CARTERET — Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-New Jersey) climbed up the narrow metal stairwell to the rooftop of Amazon’s fulfillment center for a view of the state’s largest single rooftop solar panel energy system installation.
Once there he took in the view of the 30-acre installation, which consists of more than 22,000 solar panels.
Pallone, along with Ali Naqvi, Amazon’s senior operations manager at the Carteret facility, and other officials switched on the solar panels with a model light switch to officially mark the completion of the installation on Aug. 29.
“The roof was done by local residents from New Jersey,” Naqvi said, adding that Amazon offers a Career Choice program where people can learn to be solar panel installers.
Pallone said the solar panel installation project is a “win, win” across the board.
“It is a private and public partnership with tax credits given by the state and federal governments,” he said, adding that he would like to see the state create jobs by entering the solar panel business by manufacturing solar panels in the Garden State.
The fulfillment center in Carteret is the largest fulfillment center in the state, which is a 1 million square foot facility. It employs more than 3,000 employees.
Amazon officials took people on a tour of the grand facility showcasing Amazon employers known as pickers and yellow robots getting purchased items where they need to go.
Pallone, employees and and others signed a solar panel on display.
Amazon has a fulfillment center in neighboring Woodbridge Township and a fulfillment center is expected to open in Edison Township by the end of the year.