Installer: Bella Energy 

JAX Mercantile- Fort Collins, CO
Installation Size: 20 kW

Jax Goes Solar Green and Is Cash Positive at Year Three -  In December 2007, Bella Energy installed a 20 kilowatt solar electric system that will power JAX new office complex. Made up of 112 Conergy 175 watt modules, this 20 kilowatt photovoltaic system covers 2,300 square feet of the building’s flat top surface.

JAX will save the company on electricity costs while avoiding paying the increasing costs of utility bills for the next 40 years. Xcel rate increases average 3.5% increase per year.

Readers of the Fort Collins Coloradoan had the following comments:
“A big ‘thumbs up’ to JAX!!” and “Way to go JAX!”

“Jim Quinlan is a long-time Fort Collins business leader who understands that solar energy not only makes sense for the planet, but it makes good business sense.”
- Jim Volpa, Business Development, Bella Energy

“As a company we try to make choices that are environmentally sound because it makes moral sense, but it has to make economic sense as well. With the federal tax credits and Xcel Energy rebates for solar systems, it will be a quick payback on our financial investment. It feels good to be doing the right thing.”
- Jim Quinlan, JAX Owner

Image copyright Michael G. Seamans, and the Fort Collins Coloradoan.

 Installer: Fire Mountain Solar

CF Fresh - Sedro-Woolley, WA
Installation size: 25 kW

CF Fresh, a leading supplier of certified organic fruits and vegetables, has long worked to reduce their environmental impact. The move to solar was the next logical step for the company. Even so, Steve Mackey, Controller/Principal, said he was skeptical at first about installing a solar electric system. After investigating in more detail, he found that a PV system was a smart investment. "With the federal tax credits and other incentives, the solar panels are not just for show and marketing; they actually make good financial sense."

In addition to supplying and designing the system, Fire Mountain Solar, LLC, a Conergy authorized dealer in northwestern Washington State, provided a complete breakdown of all incentives and conservative assumptions of the payback period, so CF Fresh had a clear picture of the financial aspects of the project. CF Fresh's 25 kW system supplies approximately 70% of their electricity needs and reduces CO2 emissions by 24 metric tons a year, furthering their commitment to environmental sustainability.

Fire Mountain Solar offers a full range of products and services to the commercial and residential renewable energy markets throughout the US. Customers such as CF Fresh benefit from their philosophy of listening before recommending a solution. Mackey states, "They were more conservative in their estimate of savings and payback, and they responded quickly to all our needs. Fire Mountain Solar went beyond what I would have expected a solar contractor would do to help us get the installation done efficiently."

Residential Installation - Big Lake, WA
Installation size: 2 kW

A homeowner in Big Lake, Washington wanted to be a better member of her community and was particularly interested in renewable energy and energy efficiency. She felt a PV installation on her home would help her communicate to her friends and neighbors that solar electric is a cost effective, viable alternative for Washington State. 

She turned to Fire Mountain Solar for design and installation of the 2kW system which consists of 10 Sanyo 200 watt panels and an SMA Sunnyboy inverter supplied by  Conergy. She was able to take advantage of the Washington state’s sales tax exemption, Net Metering and RE Production Incentive, the Federal tax credit and Puget Sound Energy’s Solar PV System rebate helping her reduce the upfront system cost as well as well as on-going incentive. The system meets about 20% of her monthly energy needs. The homeowner enjoys watching her meter spin backwards and showing her community what solar can do.

Fire Mountain Solar is a family owned business started in 1999 with the vision of sharing the experience of residential solar power being a viable and worthwhile investment for homes and businesses in the maritime Northwest. Since then, their vision and scope has steadily expanded. Today, Firemountain Solar help make solar, wind and micro hydro power generation a reality across the United States, shipping alternative energy products and providing expert technical support to end users and renewable energy contractors nationwide.

Installer: Seventh Generation Energy Systems

Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation (WECC) - Madison, WI
Installation size: 19 kW

When the WECC was ready to install a 19kW system on their new LEED gold-certified headquarters building located in Madison, David Blecker at Seventh Generation pulled out all the stops to win the public bid to design and install the system.  As the first point of contact for most homeowners and businesses in Wisconsin that are investigating renewable energy, the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation’s new headquarters is a very worthy project with which to be associated.

When David Blecker of Seventh Generation Energy asked Conergy to partner with him in providing the 19kW solar array we were eager to participate. This project will provide high visibility for the contractors, designers, and equipment providers that donated and discounted their labor and materials. In addition, the facility will have a huge impact on the state through its education, research and advocacy for renewable energy. Conergy supplied Suntech panels which are expected to supply 14% of the building’s annual energy needs.

Seventh Generation Energy Systems is a non-profit organization with an interdisciplenary approach to renewable energy projects. They worki with communities, grassroots groups, Native American tribes and individuals nationwide to plan, fund, develop and maintain sustainable energy systems. Along with design, installation and service of wind and PV energy systems, the organization can offer education, training, project planning, fund-raising guidance and intregration with community economic development programs.

Installer: Sunlight Electric

Honig Winery - Rutherford, CA
Installation Size: 165 kW

Sunlight Electric, a Conergy authorized dealer located in San Francisco, designs and sells photovoltaic systems for businesses in northern California that are interested in reducing their ecological footprint and reducing their utility payments. Sunlight Electric's customers gain an improved cash flow by trading their utility payments for equity in their own power generation capability.
 
For years Honig Winery has worked to eliminate the use of herbicides, insecticides and chemical-based fertilizers. Instead of using these highly toxic substances, Honig farms with organic practices which sustain and enhance the soil while yielding the best quality fruit for wine-making. But when it came to running their winery, they felt they had no choice but to use conventionally generated electricity to run their wine-making equipment and refrigeration because they considered solar power too expensive.  
 
Sunlight Electric showed them how with the available subsidies, rebates, and financing, Honig Winery could not only switch to making and using their own clean, renewable solar power, but they could do this and increase their cash flow for operations at the same time.  Swapping their utility payment for a lower finance payment, Honig now powers their operations and their bottom line.  The other numbers the Honig team likes are the 250,000 pounds of reduced CO2 emissions -- the equivalent of planting 34 acres of trees or 7.5 million miles not driven.

Cowgirl Creamery - Pt. Reyes Station, CA
Installation size: 45 kW

Sunlight Electric, a Conergy authorized dealer located in San Francisco, designs and sells photovoltaic systems for businesses in northern California that are interested in reducing their ecological footprint by reducing their utility payments. Sunlight Electric's customers gain an improved cash flow by trading their utility payments for equity in their own power generation capability.

In the winter of 2005 Cowgirl Creamery, an award winning producer of organic cheese asked Sunlight Electric to help reduce their $22,000 a year electric bill.This was accomplished by installing a 45 (kW) solar electric system on the roof of a renovated barn, the home of Cowgirl Creamery and a popular tourist stop in Pt. Reyes Station California.

Conergy provided 252 Sanyo 200 watt solar modules, along with a Xantrex PV 45 208 inverter, which reduced the building’s energy bill by 55%.The photovoltaic system is a popular topic of conversation with Cowgirl Creamery’s many visitors and retail staff, which is a valuable marketing tool for both Sunlight Electric and Cowgirl Creamery.