Medical supply company sees efficiency in switch to solar power
Energy is imperative in delivering and improving high-demand medical supplies. For a crucial, and very busy manufacturing facility like Medline Industries, these energy costs can account for a large portion of overhead and without a way to offset electricity usage, high utility bills hinder plants from expanding, producing at full capacity and maximizing savings.
Sky Power successfully proposed a PPA to its tenant, Medline Industries, to own, operate, and maintain the new rooftop solar system. Sky Power will sell the majority of the energy generated to Medline at a locked price for the term of their tenancy.
System details: As the largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of medical and surgical supplies in the world, Medline was in need of a more efficient way to manage the high energy needs of their Connecticut facility, which operates six days a week. In addition, they needed to meet sustainability goals of the organization, including eliminating harmful carbon emissions from the local community.
As one of the largest commercial solar projects in the Eversource utility system, Sky’s PV install will offset more than half of the Medline facility’s annual electricity usage. The project produces approximately 1,578,430 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually and will substantially lower Medline’s utility costs.
Sky Power selected a SolarEdge smart energy system to ensure maximum power and safety.
“We chose SolarEdge to supply the inverters and power optimizers for this project for several reasons. First, its state-of-the-art technology produces more electricity in cloudy regions, like the Northeast, due to superior design and increased energy output by tracking the maximum power point of each module. Plus, using reliable and NEC 2017 compliant products from SolarEdge results in a safer system with rapid shutdown and higher system uptime.” Alex Dembitzer, Founder, SkyREM, LLC and Sky Power, LLC
By using SolarEdge Synergy inverters and power optimizers, Medline is estimated to save an additional $136,800 on their electricity bill over 20 years. Medline will redirect its operational savings towards its bottom-line, staff, and expanding production lines.
Implementation: To implement the SolarEdge PV system, Sky turned to its longtime partner, Evergreen Energy. For Evergreen Energy, SolarEdge’s module level monitoring capability is key to maximizing energy production for their customers, while also reducing O&M costs through remote troubleshooting. SolarEdge’s maximum power point tracking technology (MPPT) ensures each module produces at its maximum energy. This eliminates mismatch-related power losses and increases energy yield of the entire system.
“Evergreen promotes SolarEdge to all of its customers. We are constantly seeing the benefits of monitoring commercial projects down to each and every panel. When using traditional string inverters, troubleshooting an underperforming site can be a total nightmare. Plus, we have seen the long-term effects of the power optimizers, as our SolarEdge sites continue to outperform.” Jacob Sussman, COO, Evergreen Energy
“The Sky Power team handled the installation of our solar system in an efficient and professional manner. It is clear that Sky Power is passionate about renewable energy and delivering a positive experience for their customers. Having solar energy is both financially and environmentally important to our business.” says Robert Rotaru, Manager, Engineering, Medline Industries
SolarEdge keeps projects safe by complying with the latest NEC 2017 requirements for Arc Fault Protection (AFCI) and PV Rapid Shutdown System (PVRSS). The entire system comes with a built-in Safe DC feature that is designed to automatically reduce voltage to a safe level, providing protection to the installation crew and maintenance personnel.
Using renewable energy resources is just one part of Medline’s charted path to a better, ecologically- responsible future. Not only will this system enable them to manufacture more life-saving PPE, surgical and healthcare equipment during an ongoing pandemic like COVID-19, it will also help make a meaningful, positive difference for customers, staff and surrounding communities.
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