As part of Richard Bagdasarian Incorporated’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, President Nick Bozick recently “flipped the switch” on an advanced 300kW photovoltaic solar energy system at its packinghouse in Mecca, California.
“Providing clean, reliable power is a key component to successful entrepreneurship in California,” said Bozick, owner of the 60 year old agricultural firm. “Adding solar energy to our sustainability matrix, which also includes using tier 4 tractors in the field and packing our product in reusable containers as it goes to market, reflects our ultimate goal of responsibly lowering our carbon footprint.”
By harnessing the area’s vast solar resources, the Bagdasarian plant will generate electricity with no air emissions, no waste production, and no water use. This leading edge solar project utilizes dual axis tracking technology vs. the traditional flat (fixed) solar plates. It is noteworthy that it will displace 540 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. This is the equivalent of taking 112 cars burning 60,272 gallons of gas off the road in one year or the annual consumption of electricity for 80 homes.
The company is also looking to incorporate solar in several field pumping stations and other packing facilities in a continuing effort to sustain its long-term social responsibility.