Freedom Solar Power, a national leader in turnkey solar energyinstallations, announced the largest commercial solar installation in the greater Houston, Texas area in partnership with Stainless Structurals, a premier supplier specializing in the design, production, and distribution of stainless steel solutions. The installation was completed in March 2024.

The Stainless Structurals rooftop installation encompasses over 4,000 solar panels across 118,000 square feet of roof (a half-mile) to power a more sustainable and self-sufficient future for Stainless Structurals by offsetting energy usage by 78% and saving the company $4.8 million over the next 25 years. The initial motivator for this facility improvement project was to find a thermal barrier solution for their rooftop to reduce the temperatures on the floor of their manufacturing facility, which at times were reaching upwards of 100 degrees due to Texas summer heat gain.

When researching options, Stainless Structurals was surprised to learn that solar panels will reduce the internal temperature of the Stainless Structurals facility by an incredible 38%, which will significantly cut the air conditioning costs, while naturally improving indoor comfort and protecting building materials. Although other cooling methods are not covered by tax credits, installing solar allows organizations to utilize tax incentives and rebates such as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), the 10% Energy Community incentive, the 10% Low Income Community incentive, and the Federal MACRS Bonus Depreciation, all of which will help cover over 50% of the costs of going solar. Plus, solar energy was a fit for their corporate sustainability goals.

“The ability to have 100% carbon free energy source was the most important and final step to close our cycle of sustainability for our products in the ability to produce a near-zero carbon footprint product,” said Mattia Del Giacco, Chief Executive Officer to Stainless Structurals.

By installing solar panels, Stainless Structural emphasizes its commitment to clean energy in addition to its existing efforts including its The Green Business Bureau (GBB) Platinum Certification, which is awarded to businesses that demonstrate exceptional commitment to environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility. By choosing solar power instead of traditional electricity, the Stainless Structurals facility will avoid over 93 million pounds of carbon dioxide over the 25-year lifetime of the system, which has a similar environmental impact to:

●      10,040 vehicles taken off the road for 1 year

●      271 acres of U.S. forest being preserved

●      46,492,630 pounds of coal NOT burned

●      14,648 tons of waste recycled instead of landfilled

“Every solar panel installed has a significant positive impact to a business’s bottom line as well as the environment, and we are excited to partner with companies like Stainless Structurals who share our mentality and give a damn about a cleaner tomorrow,” said Freedom Solar’s EVP C&I Sales, Kyle Frazier.

Less than a hundred miles away from the Stainless Structurals facility sits Spindletop, which is hailed as one of the most transformative oil fields marking the start of the Texas oil boom. Over one hundred years later, this solar installation, which will replace the equivalent of 3,900 barrels of oil per year with electricity from clean renewable sources, ushers in a new revolutionary moment for energy.

Freedom Solar Power | https://www.freedomsolarpower.com