kWh generated yearly by solar PV arrays
solar panels
of energy needs offset with solar
Based in Stamford, Connecticut, Kaster Moving Company was founded by Kevin J. Kaster in 1977. He continues to run the company today and many of the 45 employees have been with the business for more than 15 years. With a fleet of 21 modern moving vehicles, they deal with residential and commercial moves, corporate relocations, and storage.
Kaster’s 88,000 sq. ft. building is used for their warehousing and also houses three other tenant companies. In line with their sustainability goals, Kaster wanted to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and power costs while helping their tenants reduce their electricity bills.
Installing solar panels with Centrica Business Solutions made good financial sense. We expect a return on investment (ROI) of 4.5 to 5 years through power cost reductions, tax incentives, and ZREC credits from the electricity company.” Kevin Kaster, Owner, Kaster Moving Company
In a six-month-long project, Centrica Business Solutions first carried out a site visit to examine the roof and structural capacity of the building and review its electrical and utility equipment. The team consisted of a Business Development Director, Project Manager, Design Engineer, and Site Superintendent. Centrica Business Solutions then designed, engineered, and installed two solar arrays which are located on the roof and are connected into two separate meters.
The project was completed under Connecticut’s Zero Emissions Renewable Energy Credit (ZREC) Program which allows the state to incentivize commercial business owners to install solar arrays which are implemented under Net Energy Metering. This enables companies to feed excess energy back into the power grid and receive credits for future use.
The Kaster system also features PowerRadar™, a Centrica Business Solutions energy management system that enables the company to see their actual energy consumption and those of their tenants in real-time.
After just six months, Kaster was already seeing financial benefits. With an output of 500,000 kWh per year, their solar panels were generating enough energy to cover all their needs, so they paid no generation charges to the electric company. Also, although their tenants pay a rate for electricity, they are now paying much less for transmission costs.
“One of our bigger tenants is a company that makes trade show displays and because they use big printers and dryers, they need a lot of electricity,” says Kevin Kaster. “The solution is currently saving about $2,500 to $3,000 a month on electricity costs.”
“Working with Centrica Business Solutions was a good experience. They were very helpful and professional, and kept us informed all the way.”
As a moving company, Kaster has many vehicles constantly on the road and they see the implementation of solar panels as a sustainable way to offset their greenhouse gas emissions.
Unlock value from your roof, parking lot, or ground space by installing solar PV solutions. Transform your infrastructure into a source of on-site renewable energy generation, enabling you to reduce grid consumption and energy spend.
Are you looking to enhance operational performance, lower costs, and reduce down-time? Capture real-time data with our Panoramic Power™ wireless sensors that IoT-enable your energy infrastructure.
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