How is Packsize Using Sustainable Energy in its Operations?

I recently visited our new facility out in the western end of the Salt Lake valley. Known as Packlab, this facility is home to our R&D team and demo center. It’s also home to 102 brand new solar panels.

Climbing on the roof was a little nerve-wracking, since it was just a small ladder that went straight up to a hatch in the ceiling, but it was worth it for the view and the chance to see the new solar panels.

The installation of the solar panel system at PackLab was completed just recently, making all operations at that location powered by the sun.

The solar system comprises 102 Canadian Solar 305p panels. Each panel can produce 305 watts of electricity. This means that the system is able to produce 31,110 watts of electricity! How much power is that? Well it’s enough to power….

• Over 500 lightbulbs
• 103 25″ color TVs
• 311 Xbox’s
• 52 refrigerators
• 62,220 little Christmas lights
• About 109 PCs and laptops

PackLab does not store any energy onsite, so a net metering agreement with Rocky Mountain Power puts surplus energy back into the Salt Lake City grid.

You might be able to tell from the photo above that there is still room for quite a few more panels on the roof. In fact, we can expand the array to another 175 solar panels, or over 50,000 additional watts of electricity…when the time comes.

Another added benefit is that employees who recharge their cars at PackLab are now using solar power for their commute. They drive with zero emissions and 100% U.S.-made power.

Packsize is proud to say that our company fleet is composed of sustainable, energy-efficient vehicles. Many of them are partly or entirely electric. When Packsize engineers, service technicians, and area sales managers visit a customer’s facility, they produce 85 percent fewer smog forming emissions than the average visitor.

The power provided at Packsize headquarters derives from sun, wind, or water energy sources. The only difference to PackLab is that the power at the main office is not produced on site (yet).

Of course, making sure our operations are powered by sustainable energy is just one of many ways that we make sure to do our part with the environment. I’ve previously listed some of the efforts that we make in this blog post.

If you’d like to read a more in-depth exploration of our sustainability philosophy, read the interview I conducted with Packsize CEO, Hanko Kiessner, by clicking the link below:

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