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PEPSI
COLA of KLAMATH
FALLS, OREGON, Pepsi
Cola of Klamath Falls Unveils 172 Kilowatt Solar
Electric System for 'Net Zero' Energy Use.
It all started by updating an
out-of-date lighting system. When it was
finished, Pepsi Cola of Klamath Falls had
installed the Northwest's largest solar
electric system, 172 kilowatts at three
locations -- a system that will generate all
the energy the facilities will use over the
course of a year.
A
combination of tax credits, financial
incentives, attractive loan terms -- and the
prospect of eliminating all of their electric
bills --attracted Pepsi to solar energy.
"The tax benefits for installing a solar
electric system are substantial and the
prospect of making all the electricity we need
is appealing," said John Bocchi, general
manager, Pepsi Cola of Klamath Falls. "I
don't know why more businesses aren't taking
advantage of this. It makes financial sense
and it's the right thing to do."
Pepsi
Cola of Klamath Falls is a 50-year-old family
owned business. Currently there are eight
siblings with ownership in the company.
The
package of incentives and tax credits that
closed the deal for the Bocchi family included
$210,000 in incentives from Energy Trust of
Oregon, Inc., $444,412 in Business Energy Tax
Credits from the Oregon Department of Energy,
an accelerated state and federal tax
depreciation schedule and a $950,000 loan from
the Oregon Energy Loan Program.
"The
owners show great concern for the environment
in installing this solar electric
project," said Hal Simms, loan officer
with the Oregon Department of Energy's Loan
Program. "We are pleased that we can
assist and look forward to helping other
business owners with their renewable energy
projects."
Pacific
Power was a valuable partner in making this
project a reality. "We pre-purchased
green tags from Pepsi's solar facility for
Oregon Blue Sky customers," said Bill
Edmonds, Pacific Power's director of
environmental policy. "That helped
provide start-up funds for the project."
Under the utility's Blue Sky options, Oregon
customers voluntarily can purchase one of
three renewable power options.
"This
project shows that solar is more than a clean
resource choice for Oregon's environment, it's
a good business decision for Oregon
businesses," said Peter West, director,
renewable resource program, Energy Trust of
Oregon.
The
solar installation is actually three systems.
An 11 kilowatt system features 64 photovoltaic
panels in Lakeview, Ore. A Klamath Falls
warehouse produces 29 kilowatts, generated by
165 photovoltaic panels. Excess power
generated by the systems flow to the local
grid for a credit on Pepsi's bill from Pacific
Power.
The
132 kilowatt system at the company's main
office and warehouse, Klamath Falls, features
building-integrated photovoltaic technology (BIPV),
with 1,042 laminated solar panels bonded to
the metal roof.
"The
material used for building-integrated systems
is extremely lightweight and unbreakable,
making it a good choice for metal roof
structures that cannot hold the weight of more
common framed PV panels," said David
Parker of Advanced Energy Systems, Eugene,
Ore., whose company designed and installed the
system.
As
a condition of the contracts with Energy Trust
and the State of Oregon, solar electric
systems receiving incentives and tax credits
must be connected to the local utility grid.
Bocchi estimates that Pepsi will export about
50,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year
after satisfying its own internal loads.
In
August, Pepsi completed a lighting retrofit at
their main warehouse to save more than 30,000
kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, or
$1,800 on the firm's annual electric bill.
Pepsi received an Energy Trust incentive of
nearly $2,000 and Business Energy Tax Credits
of $2,300 for a payback of just over one year.
Energy
Trust of Oregon, Inc., is a nonprofit
organization dedicated to changing how
Oregonians use energy by promoting energy
efficiency and clean renewable energy for
Oregon customers of Pacific Power, Portland
General Electric and NW Natural. For more
information, visit the Energy Trust website, http://www.energytrust.org/,
or call 1-866-ENTRUST (368-7878).
Contact:
Solar
energy is one of our state’s most abundant –
and least utilized – renewable resources. The
Energy Trust offers cash
incentives on solar electric systems:
Homeowners
- up to $10,000
Businesses
- up to $15,000
Energy
Trust incentives, combined with Oregon state
energy tax credits, can cover up to 60 percent
of the total cost of a solar electric system.
Today’s
solar systems are reliable, attractive and
affordable. Systems installed under Energy Trust
programs meet the highest industry standards and
include contractor warranties that give you
peace of mind.
Modern
low-profile solar arrays complement most roofs,
and installation is simple. With minimal
maintenance, you can expect at least 20 years of
energy production from a free and renewable
energy source.
A
solar electric system can trim 15 percent or
more off your electric bill. When your system
produces more power than you use, the power goes
into the utility's grid system through net
metering, and you're credited for the excess
power. Today, hundreds of Oregonians are
powering their homes and businesses with solar
electric systems.
If
you're ready to plug into the sun, call us at
1-866-ENTRUST (1-866-368-7878).
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