A 1.1-megawatt (MW) solar power system has become operational at the California headquarters of dried fruit producers the Mariani Packing Company. Mounted on solar tracking systems, the more than 5800 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels from Evergreen Solar are expected to produce 1.9 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity annually.

Located across a seven acre site, the solar power project saw groSolar and SunEdison construct and finance the system at no cost to Mariani. Under a long-term solar power services agreement, SunEdison will maintain the system and sell the electricity produced by it to Mariani at costs less than retail rates for traditional energy sources.

"This is a great example of how being environmentally sensitive can also be financially beneficial," said Frank Griffin, vice president of construction for groSolar, the company that designed and constructed the project.

"This is a great example of how being environmentally sensitive can also be financially beneficial." -- Frank Griffin, VP of Construction, groSolar