Bay Area Beverage Company has flipped the switch on a 500 kW solar power system, one of the largest in region.
The company – representing the brands of more than 20 suppliers and distributing more than seven million cases annually – now generates 100 percent of its electricity with solar power.
Commuters on Highway 580 will find the more than 2,756 modules now perched atop the company's massive facilities hard to miss. The system – large enough to power 85 homes – was designed by San Francisco-based Sunlight Electric.
"For us, going solar isn't just about 'doing the right thing' – it's good business as well," says Bay Area Beverage Company President TJ Louderback.
"With the federal and state incentives, our solar project became a very reasonable proposition and will provide significant savings and improved cash flow immediately. These savings will help us continue to provide our customers with superior service as well as quality jobs with great benefits for our employees."
The system was financed entirely through loans and incentives, including approximately $2.9 million in tax credits and state subsidies over the next six years. Sunlight Electric's CEO Rob Erlichman estimates that the system will save Bay Area Beverage $171,000 in electricity costs annually.
The solar power system will reduce Bay Area Beverage's carbon footprint by more than 905,924 pounds of CO2 per year, equivalent to the carbon captured annually by nearly 123 acres of forest.
Share This Article With Planet Earth
