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Solar Panel Installation at Ale Asylum
Thursday, December 4, 2014
    Regional Craft Brewery Ale Asylum has partnered with SunPeak, LLC. to install a 100kWac rooftop photovoltaic solar system atop their manufacturing facility. Along with other sustainable practices in place, this collaboration will allow the brewery to significantly lower their carbon footprint.

    In April of 2014, Ale Asylum worked with SunPeak to apply for a $75,000 Focus on Energy grant through a competitive award process. This grant helped reduce the cost of the project, making the economics strongly favorable. "In 2015, we will have 12 seasonally released beers in addition to our 6 that we distribute year-round. We are steadily headed toward brewing 24 hours a day, seven days a week, especially now that we're available in two states. With that said, our energy costs would rise steadily," quotes Ale Asylum Co-Founder Otto Dilba. "After factoring in incentives, the system's estimated Levelized Cost of Energy will be less than half of what we're currently paying MG&E. That leads to enormous savings over the long haul."

    While planning the brewery's current facility, Ale Asylum Co-Founder and Brewmaster Dean Coffey worked on implementing sustainability throughout their manufacturing process. These measures include recycling spent grain to local area farmers, utilizing energy given off in the brewing process for their Tasting Room, and harnessing the cold winter air to help keep their large walk-in cooler at the proper temperature. After 30 years of use, the carbon offset from this installation will reduce greenhouse emissions equal to that of an average passenger vehicle driving 7.13 million miles.

    SunPeak is a new company backed by experienced international leaders in photovoltaic solar development, which was founded to make solar power accessible to everyone in the Midwest through improved technology and economy. "I think this partnership is a great example of two Wisconsin-based companies working together to deliver the next generation of products to the market in a sustainable way," said SunPeak President Chad Sorensen. Although the brewery will own the equipment, SunPeak will handle logistics such as financial analysis, system engineering, project management, ongoing operations and maintenance.

    Installation began earlier today, and will be finished by the end of the year. Upon completion, patrons of the brewery's Tasting Room will be able to view a monitor that will show carbon offsets as well as daily, annual, and year-to-date production statistics. The brewery plans on holding a customer appreciation event celebrating the installation once the project is completed.

    Hathaway Dilba
    Director of Promotions
    Ale Asylum

    Posted by D.L.Schiller at 5:08 PM
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