Solar Energy Completes Green Lumber Yard

Rocklin, California [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Hills Flat Lumber in California has taken their green commitment to the roof. Solar array manufacturer RWE Schott Solar and contracting firm Felix Electric have installed a 145 kW photovoltaic (PV) array at lumber yard. The system generates approximately 92 percent of the store’s electricity needs.

“Before committing to a PV system, we wanted to get a better understanding of our energy use and needs,” said Jeff Pardini, general manager at Hills Flat Lumber. Ray Darby from the Sustainable Energy Group and Dan and Joanne Felix from Felix Electric conducted an energy audit of the lumber yard and recommended a PV array along with other ways to reduce energy consumption at the site. Hills Flat already tries to encourage builders to conserve energy by supporting alternative construction methods, offering customers “green” building materials and stocking energy saving products. Choosing a PV array will keep the store true to its green commitment by reducing its energy bills even further, and helping the environment through the production of clean, renewable electricity. “By adjusting our lighting and controls, they (Darby and the Felix’s) determined that a 145 kW system from RWE Schott Solar would meet our needs,” Pardini said. “We even added a kiosk inside the store that shows our customers how much electricity is being produced and how many tons of green house gases are being offset.”