For years, automotive manufacturers have had a hard time justifying their American facilities. When compared to building and maintaining facilities in less-developed countries, the cost of running a factory in America is immense. This is why many auto workers have lost their jobs to factories overseas.
Despite this, many companies are trying to bring the auto industry (and jobs) back to our backyard. But to do this, companies must find ways to cut costs elsewhere.
For some companies, that could mean reducing down their workforce or cutting corners while manufacturing their products. But for others, Toyota North America in particular, the simple and smart choice of going solar will significantly cut their costs without impacting the quality of their products or the size of their employee roster.
According to Quora, US businesses typically spend about a trillion dollars a year on energy alone. That means American companies could free up millions by simply finding ways to spend less on power. This is why forward-thinking Toyota North America has chosen to go solar with SunPower at their headquarters in Plano, Texas.
Here, SunPower will “design and build a 7.75MW solar power system” for the auto manufacturing giant (1). The plant is scheduled to be completed by 2017 and it will include a solar carport to keep employee cars cool and the entire headquarters powered all summer long (1).
This project will get Toyota one step closer to their goal of eliminating all company carbon emissions by 2050 (1). Management even expects the facility will receive “United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Platinum LEED Certification” after the SunPower solar energy system is completed (1).
But, some may ask wonder what makes SunPower solar system so special. Well, it all comes down their unique solar cell technology, that allows their panels to generate more energy longer. SunPower representatives state their solar panels will generate “45% more power than conventional panels” (1). That is a huge difference in savings and supports the argument that not all solar is the same.
If you are making plans to invest in solar this season, make sure you do your research and choose the strongest, longest-lasting panels available for your home or business—SunPower.
Sources:
http://solar.cleantechnology-business-review.com/news/sunpower-solar-system-to-power-toyotas-new-north-american-headquarters-in-texas-150616-4923004
https://www.quora.com/unanswered/How-much-do-US-businesses-spend-per-year-on-energy
