NewAge Industries (Southampton, Pa.; www.newageindustries.com) has completed the installation of a one-megawatt rooftop solar-panel system, which supplies half of the plastic tubing manufacturer’s energy needs. The project started last summer with upgrades to NewAge Industries’ roof. Solar panels now cover three-quarters of the rooftop on the 244,000-ft2 building located in Southampton, Bucks County, Pa.
The solar project was financed in part by a $1-million solar-energy-program grant from Pennsylvania’s Dept. of Community and Economic Development. Federal grant dollars of approximately $1.2 million are expected to be received next month. The total project cost was $4.2 million. “As a responsible manufacturer, we’ve taken a number of green steps over the past several years, but the solar energy project was definitely the most ambitious,” stated Ken Baker, NewAge’s CEO. “It’s a great way to use renewable energy, help our community, and contribute to our bottom line.”
NewAge partnered with Borrego Solar Systems Inc., based in California, for the design and installation of the system. The solar panels — over 4,000 of them — were made in the U.S. by SolarWorld USA of Hillsboro, Oregon. The racks that support the panels and the inverters, which convert the electrical current, were also manufactured in the U.S.
“It’s great to be able to do something so incredibly useful and green with the space on our rooftop,” Baker said. “Saving money on our electric bill is a bonus."