Source: pvsolarreport.com
Published: September 3, 2014
Climate change is already causing more frequent and severe droughts, and that’s going to continue. So it’s no surprise that both coffee companies and breweries are turning to the power of the sun to help.
Park Avenue Coffee in St. Louis, Missouri, recently opened their newest and greenest cafe. Solar provider Microgrid Solar installed 200 solar panels to enable Park Avenue Coffee to operate the cafe and roasting facility at net zero, providing all electricity for the building.
The Microgrid Solar turnkey solar installation provides energy equivalent to powering 206 personal computers and 1547 CFL light bulbs, along with saving 126 barrels of oil. The company’s coffee roaster, produced by Loring Manufacturing, is 91% more efficient than a typical roaster and is completely powered by solar, making Park Avenue the greenest roaster in the Midwest.
“We are not doing this for the publicity, we are doing it because it is the right thing to do,” says Dale Schotte, CEO of Park Avenue Coffee.
Now, Bear Republic Brewing Company is joining the others. North State Solar Energy, a Northern California general contractor that specializes in solar-electric installations for residential, commercial, and agricultural projects, has installed a PV system at the company’s Cloverdale facility.
The system is outfitted with Enphase Energy microinverters. Both the 30.2 kW rooftop solar array and a second, soon-to-be-installed 136.6 kW canopy system feature Enphase M250 American Pride Microinverters assembled in Milpitas, California.
“We raise a toast to Bear Republic’s decision to go solar and to work with fellow homegrown American success stories such as Enphase and North State Solar,” said Paul Nahi, CEO of Enphase. “A commitment to quality and sustainability drives all three companies, and we look forward to helping reduce Bear Republic’s energy bill and carbon footprint.”
The project marks the latest collaboration between Enphase and North State Solar. The solar contractor recently became an exclusive Enphase 2014 American Pride Partner for deployment of Enphase’s new American Pride Microinverters in commercial and residential solar installations throughout Northern and Central California.
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