The Redlands, California distribution center of Kimberly-Clark, has received a major single rooftop solar power installation.
In 2009, a 100 kW solar array was installed on the rooftop. The present installation is an expansion and it now covers a rooftop area of 350,000 sq.ft with a capacity of 3.5 MW AC or 4.9 MW DC. The energy generated by the rooftop array will be sufficient to power around 925 homes in a year. The power produced will be approximately 6.6 million kWh of energy, annually, and will offset 4,500 t of CO2 annually.
The building is owned by Prologis, and it has managed the solar facility construction. Southern California Edison (SCE) has designed and financed the project. It is the owner of the solar installation. The original 100–kW solar installation provides power to Kimberly-Clark. The Prologis Park Redlands #5 was built in 2005. Kimberly-Clark has been occupying the 700,000-sq.ft facility from 2007.
Kimberly-Clark supplies its consumer products, such as Huggies, Kotex, Depend, Scott and Kleenex to its retailers from this distribution center.
Prologis and SCE have been collaborating in over 50 MW of solar projects in California since 2008. The Prologis’ vice president of renewable energy, Drew Torbin, stated that the Redlands Distribution Center’s solar power system signified their leadership in that area.
SCE's Solar PV Program manager, Rudy Perez, stated that the solar partnership will allow SCE to provide more renewable energy to its customers.