October, 7—Leominster, MA— New England Apple Products, the largest cider mill in New England and an industry veteran for more than a hundred years, has partnered with Solect Energy of Hopkinton, MA to install a 300 kilowatt (kW) solar energy system on the roof of its Leominster facility. The solar array is expected to cover approximately 90% of the company’s annual electricity use.
New England Apple has been grinding and squeezing apples in the area since before the advent of modern electricity, adapting over the years in a variety of ways. Aware of the environmental benefits, and with key partners successfully going solar, the company opted to invest in a system for their own operations.
“Partnering with Solect to install solar is an excellent opportunity to reduce the company’s carbon footprint and generate a long-term financial gain for the business,” said Steve Rowse, President of New England Apple. “Our long-standing colleagues in the apple world, JP Sullivan Packing Services in Ayer, had recently installed an array of their own with Solect, and the quality of their experience helped ease many of our concerns.”
“Assisting manufacturers like New England Apple with reducing energy costs allows them to reinvest in their business. This helps the local economy and creates job growth,” said Scott Howe, Partner in Business Development at Solect.
New England Apple Products is projected to save $40,000 annually on its electricity bill, and is able to take advantage of state and federal tax and financial incentives, including SRECs (Solar Renewable Energy Certificates), which are financial incentives based on the amount of solar energy the system generates.
“We plan to put our savings back into the business, so those savings will allow us to continue to grow by mitigating the unpredictable surges in electricity costs associated with expansion,” added Rowse. “Any company interested in solar should run the numbers, as they are likely to find that it’s a conversation worth having. Plus, the environmental benefits are obvious, and not to be overlooked.”
NE Apple’s new solar installation joins an array of other green efforts that the company has been dedicated to for some time. These include programs that range from donating their left-over apple solids to local cattle farmers to augment their feed, to comprehensive recycling practices in place for waste plastic, cardboard, and mixed grade paper.
About New England Apple Products
New England Apple Products is the largest commercial apple cider mill in New England, making and selling Carlson Orchards, Lyman Orchards, and Rudy’s Blend Apple Cider, and providing cider bottling services for a number of other local orchards seasonally. The history of the company reaches back to the end of the Civil War, when Standard Vinegar Works was formed in Somerville, Mass. Standard was purchased by the Rowse family and relocated to Littleton, Massachusetts where it became the original New England Apple Products before its name change to Veryfine Products in the 1980’s. The current version of New England Apple Products Co. was founded in summer of 2011, after an acquisition of the apple cider making assets from Carlson Orchards in Harvard, Mass. For more information, call them at 978-227-5469, or visit http://www.newenglandapple.com
About Solect Energy
Solect is a full-service solar photovoltaic (PV) project developer and installer based in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, delivering smart solar and energy management solutions to help businesses and organizations reduce energy costs. As an industry leader in commercial-scale solar energy, Solect takes a practical approach to the development, installation and on-going support of each system. We partner closely with our customers, providing strong financial insight and solar technology expertise to optimize their investment while creating a positive impact on the environment. Solect currently has installed over 40 MW (megawatts) of commercial PV systems, with a primary focus on commercial, light industrial and institutional properties in New England. For more information, visit http://www.solect.com or follow us on Twitter at @SolectSolar.
