PowerFlex Completes Largest Rooftop Solar Project in the Bronx for Krasdale Foods

Based in the New York City borough of the Bronx and operating for over a century, Krasdale Foods provides goods to more than 2,500 independent grocers throughout much of the Eastern Seaboard.

The Challenge

Provide Dependable Clean Energy to Major Grocery Distributor and Surrounding Community

The company was looking to make its first foray into green energy with the installation of a solar system at its warehouse in Hunts Point, a neighborhood located on a peninsula in the South Bronx along the East River. The area is a major logistical hub, housing the 300-acre Hunts Point Food Distribution Center.

Despite the community’s economic importance, Hunts Point has endured decades of divestment. Many residents live below the poverty line, and the high concentration of air pollutants has earned the area the unenviable nickname “asthma alley.” As a major employer and longstanding champion of the residents of the South Bronx, sharing the benefits of clean energy with the surrounding community was a big priority for Krasdale.

PowerFlex’s Solution

A Landmark Rooftop Community Solar Installation

INSTALLATION TYPE

Rooftop Solar

INSTALLATION SIZE

2.7 MW

LOCATION

Bronx, NY

ANNUAL PRODUCTION

3.4 million kWh

INCENTIVES

Investment Tax Credit • ConEd Community Credit • NY-Sun

Krasdale turned to PowerFlex to build a 2.7-megawatt (MW) solar energy system atop the food distributor’s expansive warehouse. With 6,690 individual solar panels, the installation is the largest in the Bronx as of 2023.

The system is expected to generate 3.4 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean electricity every year. Krasdale utilizes 40% of the system’s output, allowing the company to reduce its energy costs as well as its environmental impact by offsetting utility consumption.

The rest of the energy is allocated to the surrounding area through a community solar program that enables subscribers — about 300 local households and businesses in total — to benefit from solar energy. The carbon offset is also equivalent to the amount sequestered by 2,850 acres of U.S. forests per year, according to Environmental Protection Agency estimates.

“We are proud to partner with PowerFlex on this monumental community solar project. Krasdale continues our mission of helping the communities we serve, and this new solar roof is a commitment to clean energy for the Bronx, its residents, and Krasdale employees.”

Gus Lebiak

President and COO, Krasdale

Incentive Programs Strategically Leveraged to Cut Costs

In addition to environmental benefits, Krasdale enjoys strong project economics. PowerFlex was instrumental in securing two major incentives to help manage system costs: NY-Sun, a state program administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and the solar Investment Tax Credit, a federal tax rebate. By leveraging solar energy on site, Krasdale can expect upwards of $700,000 in energy savings annually.

High-Profile Press Event & PR Push

The PowerFlex marketing team collaborated with Krasdale on a ribbon-cutting event to mark the completion of the solar installation. Featured speakers included Krasdale President and COO Gus Lebiak, New York State Assemblymember Amanda Septimo, and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson. The event was covered by local and industry press and was picked up by several publications including New York Business Journal, Solar Power World, and PV Magazine. To cap it all off, PowerFlex documented the event in a video that captured keynote speeches, interviews with attendees, and aerial shots of the solar system.