Penske Truck Leasing has opened a solar-powered facility in Channahon, Ill., which will produce about 80% of the facility’s required energy using a solar panel array.
It marks Penske’s first facility with a rooftop solar system, which will also produce excess energy that can be fed back to the local utility provider. Penske plans to add a second such location in Grand Rapids, Mich., in the coming months while another in Linden, N.J., will be solar-powered next year.
Penske also announced it will retrofit seven California locations as well.
“Our solar program is an important piece of our renewable energy strategy and ForeFront Power continues to be an outstanding partner in helping us bring these projects to fruition,” said Drew Cullen, senior vice-president of fuels and facility services at Penske. “These investments will allow us to directly generate our own renewable energy to power our locations and continue to support our customers with sustainable solutions.”
Penske estimates four solar-powered facilities will generate about 1 million kWh of renewable energy each year, reducing CO2 emissions by 442 metric tons.
“The initiative to install solar systems at our locations is a part of our company’s LEED-certified facilities process,” said Ivet Taneva, Penske vice-president of environmental affairs. “Investing in solar has considerable economic impacts for our operations as well as the environmental benefits of further reducing emissions related to electricity use.”
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