- 3.2 MW System Size
- 2,976 Tons CO2 Avoided
- 3,800,000 kWh Annual System Production
- 7,171 Number of Solar Panels
United Natural Foods Fulfills Nearly All of Facility’s Annual Energy Needs With Rooftop Solar
Founded in 1976, United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) has earned the distinction of the largest publicly traded wholesale food distributor in the United States and Canada. The company operates nearly 50 distribution centers and provides goods to over 30,000 customers, including large grocery chains like Whole Foods.
Reignite National Food Distributor’s Sustainability Journey
UNFI is a strong and transparent steward of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives. Through its Better for All sustainability strategy, the company has set a goal to cut its Scope 1 and 2 emissions in half by 2050. After completing a string of solar installations in the mid 2000s, UNFI was looking for a partner to help them recommit to onsite clean energy generation at the company’s Howell, New Jersey, distribution center. Though a prime candidate for solar, the facility had a sizeable power demand and needed a new roof.
A Large-Scale Rooftop Solar Installation
INSTALLATION TYPE
- Rooftop Solar
INSTALLATION SIZE
- 3.2 MW
LOCATION
- Howell, NJ
INCENTIVES
Solar Investment Tax Credit • Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC-II) Program
UNFI tapped PowerFlex to install a 3.2-megawatt (MW) solar energy system at the Howell facility that is expected to generate 3.8 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean electricity annually — fulfilling nearly all the building’s yearly energy needs. PowerFlex coordinated all installation efforts with Centimark, the contractor responsible for the re-roofing project.
PowerFlex also navigated the requirements of UNFI’s insurer, FM Global, and met all their specs regarding how system components were to be installed.
“This newest solar array, coupled with our current LED lighting projects at a majority of our distribution centers, are expected to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions year-over-year and represent a milestone on our path to building a food system that is better for our people, communities, and the planet. These efforts are also expected to reduce our operational costs and help us become more efficient, and that’s a positive for our business”
Sandy Douglas
CEO, United Natural Foods, Inc.
UNFI was able to subsidize a portion of installation costs with funds received from New Jersey’s Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC-II) incentive program, which PowerFlex was instrumental in securing.
Comprised of 7,171 individual solar panels, the clean energy the system generates preventsnearly 3,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from being released into the atmosphere annually. The system’s environmental benefits are equivalent to the emissions of 524 U.S. homes' electricity use for one year, based on Environmental Protection Agency estimates.
