Hardt Electricity, SunPower Corp. announce solar panel installation at Macy’s distribution facility

Hardt Electricity, in conjunction with photovoltaic manufacturer SunPower Corporation, recently announced the installation of a rooftop solar panel system at Macy’s distribution facility in Minooka, Illinois.

Originally launched in 2016, the rooftop system utilizes 6,108,327-watt SunPower Helix modules and is expected to produce a total of 2,533,000 kilowatt hours of output annually.

“Macy’s distribution center in Minooka is now on a grid-tie solution, which uses net metering to monitor energy usage based on a meteorological review of the area’s average number of hours of light per day,” Peter Hardt, vice president of Operations at Hardt Electricity, said. “The facility will draw from the utility when not producing energy, but when their solar is active, it will slow the meter down or even spin it backwards and return the energy back to the grid for credit.”

Hardt added that while the distribution facility was previously reliant of the local utility for its electricity and was subject to its rates, the facility’s payments will now be fixed for a period of 25 years, which covers the solar panels’ warranty by SunPower.

According to the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), the expected energy cost savings will reach more than $175,000 per year and will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 119 million pounds over the next 25 years, representing the equivalent of removing 759 cars from U.S. roads and planting 1,232 acres of trees.

“This successful installation positions Macy’s to reduce their operating expenses and have a more fixed understanding of their electricity costs in the future,” Hardt said.