• Largest solar rooftop system in California’s Mendocino County reduces grid reliance during peak hours
• LEDs in headquarters’ manufacturing warehouse slash lighting-related energy costs nearly 60%

Factory Pipe, a manufacturer of high-performance exhaust systems, is collaborating with Current, powered by GE, to make its Ukiah, California headquarters more efficient. The company is offsetting 75% of its energy use through Current’s rooftop solar offering and saving close to 60% in lighting-related energy use with an LED lighting retrofit in its manufacturing warehouse.

The solar solution alone is expected to save Factory Pipe approximately US $100,000 in energy costs this year and $2.3 million over the 25-year lifespan of the solution.

“In today's global economy we need all aspects of our company to be competitive and GE's solutions through Current made our energy costs competitive and sustainable,” says Ross Liberty, President, Factory Pipe. “Solar provides a predictable and competitive energy cost for the next 25 years, and we’ve also installed LEDs that will save us close to 60% in lighting-related costs over the technology we’ve traditionally used.”

The solar system, which is the largest rooftop solar system in California’s Mendocino County, will produce about 600 kilowatts of energy annually and have an environmental impact equivalent to removing more than 120 cars from the road or planting more than 16,000 trees every year.

High-bay LEDs recently installed in portions of the building’s manufacturing warehouse replace fluorescent fixtures, offering additional energy savings and a positive environmental payback.

Factory Pipe will also be able to take advantage of a 30 percent federal incentive tax credit and MACRS depreciation. The system will be interconnected utilizing PG&E’s net energy metering program.