Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Last month, the Vallartense Institute of Culture (IVC) became the first Municipal Government dependency to adopt the use of "green technologies," through the implementation of solar panels that supply renewable energy to the Institute's administrative offices, auditorium, the Cuale Cultural Center and all of its workshops.

"By integrating clean and renewable energy into the IVC we can make more efficient use of the resources available to the Institute, while complying with the Municipal Development and Governance Plan, and the energy transition policy undertaken by the administration, headed by Mayor Arturo Dávalos Peña," the director of the IVC, Marina de los Santos Álvarez, said.

The 18 solar panels that were installed last July will greatly reduce the IVC's electric power consumption. The IVC director estimates that the Institute's electricity bill will now cost around 90 pesos per bimester, which will save the administration more than 450,000 pesos per year.

De los Santos stressed that, in addition to the significant savings to the public treasury, the adoption of renewable energy and concrete actions, such as avoiding the use of plastics, styrofoam and other single-use disposable materials at all IVC events, will promote ecological awareness, protect the natural environment and reduce the environmental impact caused by human activity.

The Director of Social Development, Víctor Manuel Bernal Vargas, served as an honorary witness of the implementation of the solar panels, which were made in Germany and have a ten year guarantee. An estimated investment cost of 153,000 pesos was paid to Solsken de México S.A. de C.V.