UniFirst Corporation, a provider of customized business uniform programs, facility service products, and first aid and safety services, has partnered with HOLT Renewables to install rooftop solar power systems at three UniFirst industrial laundry facilities.
The solar systems, located at UniFirst’s Austin and San Antonio, Texas, and Stockton, California, facilities, will consist of over 2,000 high-efficiency solar panels that will provide long-term benefits, including clean energy, reduced emissions, and lifetime utility savings.
“UniFirst takes pride in our ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability as we aim to serve our customers and support the communities in which we operate,” said Matthew Croatti, UniFirst SVP. “By investing in solar energy and other sustainable initiatives, UniFirst is actively reducing our environmental impact and carbon footprint.”
At UniFirst’s Austin facility, HOLT Renewables installed a 256.80 kW rooftop solar array that is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 262,000 kg in the first year and provide utility savings of over $1,000,000 over its lifetime. This solar production is equivalent to charging 31,900,700 smartphones.
At the Stockton, California, facility, HOLT Renewables installed a 337.92 kW rooftop solar array that is expected to save more than $90,000 in utility bill costs in the first year. The third facility in San Antonio, Texas, received a 232.5 kW rooftop array, which also received solar rebates offered by CPS Energy – one of the nation’s largest community-owned providers of electric and natural gas services.
When speaking on the San Antonio installation project, HOLT Renewables Commercial Project Developer Aaron Arriaga said, “The 612 solar panel system in San Antonio generated more than $25,000 in energy savings in its first year and is expected to deliver long-term benefits of over $1,000,000 in lifetime utility cost savings.”
To help finance the solar panel installations, UniFirst and HOLT Renewables participated in the Federal Investment Tax Credit, which provided nearly 30% of the total installation for each solar system. The companies also utilized commercial rebates made available by the local utilities to help reduce the total project investment.
To complement the new solar arrays, UniFirst is also actively working to enhance its energy conservation measures companywide, including upgrading LED lighting, participating in water treatment and reuse practices, and performing waste-stream optimization at its facilities throughout North America.
