Greenskies completes 2.4-MW rooftop solar project on cold storage warehouses

Solar Power World | Billy Ludt
October 4, 2022

Greenskies Clean Focus, a commercial renewable energy development company, and Vanguard Energy Partners, a national solar construction firm, completed 2.4 MW of rooftop solar for FreezPak Logistics, a third-party food logistics company. The recently energized solar energy systems will provide renewable solar electricity to Freezpak cold storage facilities in Carteret (985 kW) and Elizabeth (1,414 kW), New Jersey.

According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), refrigerated warehouses have one of the highest electric energy consumption rates in the commercial building sector. Their electric usage often ranges from 40 to 60 kWh per-sq-ft per year, with refrigeration accounting for more than 70% of overall electric use.

The solar installations at FreezPak Carteret and Elizabeth are projected to generate a combined 2,832,900 kWh in their first year of generation.

“Our company is very focused on controlling cost, not only for the bottom line but also to continue our support to be closer and closer off the grid,” said Mike Saoud, co-CEO of Freezpak. “The use of hydrogen fuel cells, solar panels, upgraded dock equipment and most recently the use of ammonia refrigeration systems. These are all components of becoming a more sustainable organization. The use of our hydrogen plants will also pay off in the very near future with hydrogen tractors coming into the market.”

Co-CEO Dave Saoud added, “FreezPak has been steadfast in our efforts to become more ESG. Woodbridge is being built to LEED certification standards. We will continue to be open to ways we can be more environmentally responsible.”

Greenskies funded the projects at no upfront cost to Freezpak, who will purchase the power generated by the arrays from Greenskies at a fixed rate for the next 15 years. Greenskies will also provide ongoing management and maintenance on the projects.

“As Freezpak’s long-term partner in renewable energy, Greenskies is proud to help them lower emissions and combat climate change while reducing energy costs,” said Stanley Chin, president and CEO of Greenskies. “It’s rewarding to work with local partners like Vanguard to deploy onsite solar and accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources for environmentally-conscious businesses like Freezpak.”

A third Freezpak location in Woodbridge, projected to open in Q4 2022, will also host a new rooftop solar energy system in partnership with Greenskies and Vanguard.