LAKEWOOD, NJ—UPS has installed a rooftop solar array on Its 70,000-square-foot facility here, the first in a series of renewable energy plans from the company.
Unlike many such installations, UPS owns and operates the Lakewood array, which was custom designed. According to the company, the owner/operator approach saves engineering and construction costs compared with the more typical power purchase agreement, in which the energy producer owns and maintains the array, selling the energy at reduced costs to the building owner.
"UPS is always investigating new and innovative ways to power and improve the efficiency of its facilities that also demonstrate a meaningful return on investment," said Scott Wicker, chief sustainability officer, in a statement. "Clean, renewable energy is just one of the ways we operate more efficiently."
The 250 kilowatt (kW) solar power system of 1,036 solar panels, or 62,160 individual photovoltaic cells, installed on the facility's roof. It is expected to produce 270,000 kW hours of electricity annually, providing nearly 30% of the building's annual energy needs. UPS took advantage of New Jersey's net metering rules, which offer compensation for generating excess power during the day and selling it back to the utility.
"The nature of our operation means we use most of our energy at night, so during the day much of the electricity produced by this system will flow back to the grid to support the utilities peak," says Wicker. "At night, when we're sorting the packages, we will draw from the grid the energy needed to power the facility."
Other UPS facilities with solar installations are located in Palm Springs, Calif, and Cologne-Bonn Airport in Germany. UPS is assessing other facilities to gauge their suitability for solar installations, the company says.
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