Feb 4 2015
SilRay, Inc., a turnkey developer of solar power plants and an independent solar power producer, announces the completion of the first phase of a two-part commercial solar array for a 74,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Milpitas, CA.
SilRay Commercial Rooftop Solar Array
The 450.4 kW rooftop and carport installation at the facility of the ODM and OEM suppliers Meritronics and PalPilot will offset more than 50% of their electrical needs and save the companies approximately $5.6 million over 25 years. The array (one of the largest in the City of Milpitas) is the latest step in Meritronics and PalPilot's sustainability efforts and will eliminate more than 12,500 tons of carbon emissions throughout its lifetime.
The electronics manufacturing industry has reached an inflection point in greening its supply chain network. Consumer electronics giants like Apple, Microsoft and Intel are increasingly focused on supplier environmental responsibility, from where and how they source raw materials to the use of renewable energy to power factories and data centers. By getting a solar array, Meritronics and PalPilot will lower their costs while improving their competitive advantage in the contract manufacturing field as more companies audit their vendors' environmental impact.
"Our goal is to become a leading green manufacturer in the electronics assembly industry. A lot of our customers are in search of sustainable suppliers in order to mitigate climate change," said Dior Wu, EVP and Founder of Meritronics. "As a high tech manufacturer, it was a no brainer to implement leading edge clean technology on the energy side. Our nearly 40,000 square foot plant utilizes heavy equipment that draws a lot of power during peak demand, and solar provides a perfect solution to reduce our demand charges. By adopting solar, we not only secure long-term energy expenditures for the next 25 years, but also become energy independent while using clean energy to power the entire building."
"PalPilot is based in the heart of Silicon Valley, a hotbed for clean technology, so it made sense to go solar," said YC Hwang, VP and Cofounder of PalPilot. "This is the biggest initiative our company has undertaken in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability. Leveraging solar energy is one way we can reduce our carbon footprint, tantamount to planting 12,000 trees or removing 100 cars from the road annually. We're proud to set an example of environmental leadership for the Silicon Valley community."
Staying cost competitive as a manufacturer in the Bay Area is mission-critical due to shrinking operating margins from global competition and new innovations. Energy use comprises 30-40% of a manufacturer's operational expenses so efficiency upgrades and solar arrays can provide drastically reduce operational costs. Given the average cost of a commercial project has dropped by more than 45% in the last two years, solar can literally add millions of dollars to a business' bottom line.
"We're pleased to partner with ODM and OEM leaders like PalPilot and Meritronics who are demonstrating their commitment to a clean energy future. The new system not only allows contract manufacturers to lower operating costs, but also promotes a more sustainable environment," says April Zhong, President and CEO of SilRay. "From the project launch date in November to completion, we expertly navigated the myriad environmental, design, engineering, financing, permitting, procurement, systems integration and construction of the rooftop installation in two months. When we propose a solar project to businesses, we always want to make sure that the payback period and return on investment meet their expectations. In most cases, the performance of our solar systems exceeds the projected production. It is very gratifying when our clients save even more on energy costs than they expected."
Phase two of the project, which includes a 60 kW solar carport and two EV charging stations, will be completed in March 2015.