MEDIA ADVISORY
NFL star Matt Leinart and local government officials help Gatorade and SRP EarthWise Solar announce largest customer-owned solar energy system in Arizona
TOLLESON, Ariz. (July 8, 2008) - Arizona Cardinals Quarterback Matt Leinart joined Arizona government officials and representatives from The Gatorade Company, a division of PepsiCo (PEP) and SRP EarthWise Solar Energy, to announce the largest customer-owned solar energy project in Arizona at the Gatorade manufacturing and distribution facility in Tolleson, Ariz.
Millions of Gatorade bottles are manufactured and warehoused at the Gatorade site, which has already received Gold-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and will soon generate solar energy for the state of Arizona thanks to an incentive from SRP, the largest provider of electricity to the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. PepsiCo's Gatorade business has become SRP's largest EarthWise Solar Energy commercial customer with the planned installation of a 500-kilowatt system to provide electricity to the site, which includes a manufacturing and distribution center. This initiative marks yet another step by PepsiCo's Gatorade toward creating an energy-efficient and sustainable facility.
The photovoltaic system, which will be installed by SPG Solar on the distribution center roof, is expected to produce more than 760,000 kilowatt hours per year - the equivalent amount needed to power about 50 households for a calendar year - and will result in an estimated carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction of about 491 metric tons a year or 12,000 metric tons over 25 years.
"This solar energy project by the Gatorade Arizona plant is good for the environment and good for Arizona and underscores our comprehensive commitment to environmental sustainability," said Jim Lynch, senior vice president of PepsiCo Chicago. "Environmental sustainability is one of the three pillars in PepsiCo's overall sustainability vision, which we call 'Performance with Purpose.'"
The solar panels at the 797,000 square-foot Gatorade distribution center, which houses up to 5.5 million cases at a time, will generate electricity through advanced photovoltaic devices that capture the sun's energy. By capturing the sun's rays during daylight hours, the photovoltaic devices gradually increase the amount of renewable energy produced in Arizona - helping the state reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Adjacent to the distribution center is the manufacturing facility, which produces 59 million cases of Gatorade product a year.
"We are proud to be a part of PepsiCo's commitment to environmental stewardship and encourage other Valley businesses to invest in this clean energy source," said Lori Singleton, SRP Manager of Sustainable Initiatives and Technologies.
The panels are scheduled to be installed in early September and the system will begin producing power in November. The SRP incentive for this project will be $1.2 million.
In addition to Tolleson, Gatorade has two facilities in the elite LEED-Gold certification category, including Pryor, Okla. and Wytheville, Va. The Tolleson facility earned this special recognition by helping to deliver energy and environmental optimization, maximizing the use of supply water and optimizing wastewater treatment efficiency. The facility also installed state-of-the-art energy-saving measures such as high-efficiency lighting systems and has placed a top priority on respecting the ecosystem and habitat during site planning and development which is a critical element of sustainability.
PepsiCo plans to take this concept of environmental sustainability a step further by constructing new facilities that employ several alternative and renewable energy technologies to further reduce the reliance on local utility resources. For example, PepsiCo recently 'flipped the switch' on solar power at a facility in Fullerton, Calif. The facility comes "off the grid" during peak hours of 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. meaning the plant can operate independently of external electricity when there is the highest demand for electricity.
All PepsiCo divisions have active sustainability programs in the areas of water, energy and packaging - the three areas where the Company can make the biggest impact. PepsiCo's efforts have already resulted in significant resource conservation and environmental benefits.
About SRP Earthwise Solar Energy
The EarthWise Solar Energy program is designed to help reduce the cost of installing a new solar electric or solar water heating system for residential and business customers who invest in the clean, zero-emissions energy source. An incentive of $2.50 per watt is available for business customers who install solar electric systems larger than 10 kilowatts. The program determines the incentive payment to the customer based on the projected energy production of the system. This approach encourages customers and installers to invest in the most efficient products available.
