Stone Brewing Co. in San Diego plans to install a $3.2 million photovoltaic system to be installed by February. The system should pay for itself in 10 years, said Greg Koch, Stone’s chief executive. He estimates the 360-kilowatt system will provide up to 54 percent of the company’s power needs.
Stone Brewing is installing the system to demonstrate its commitment to the environment, said Koch. But it also makes sense financially, he said.
“Our 8,000-square-foot cold box is definitely a big energy draw,” Koch said. “Then it’s kind of all over the map for the rest of the things that we do, from the brewing process to the bottling and packing needs.”
The company shows its environmental credentials in other ways, such as using biodiesel to power its delivery trucks. The company also plans to install carports roofed with photovoltaic units, serving two purposes at once: shade and power.