US Foods Turns to Solar Power for Site Serving Metro New York
Rooftop solar power will supply about 85 percent of the energy used by a distribution facility in New Jersey that serves metro New York. Read More
Food distributor US Foods is installing a rooftop solar power system that will enable the company facility that serves metro New York to source almost 85 percent of its power to renewable energy.
The array is expected to generate more than 10 million kilowatt hours of energy a year — enough to power about 870 U.S. homes over the same period.
The installation project at US Food’s warehouse at Perth-Amboy, N.J is already underway. The work at the site covering the company’s Metro New York Division is scheduled to be complete by July. Swan Creek MPA, LLC, will own the solar power system and has contracted to supply energy to US Foods.
US Foods has solar power systems at three other distribution centers located in San Francisco and La Mirada, Calif., and Phoenix, Ariz.
Based in Rosemont, Ill., US Foods is the 10th largest private company in the U.S. and one of the larger foodservice distribution firms in the country. The $19 billion company is jointly owned by funds managed by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Inc. The foodservice distributor was among the first KKR companies to join the private equity firm’s Green Portfolio sustainability program, which launched in 2008.
Other environmental initiatives include an energy efficiency and conservation program. As of the end of last year, the company said it had reduced overall energy use by 8 percent, some 34 million kWh, since 2007 as a result of lighting retrofits. The firm has set its sights on decreasing its energy use by another 3 million kWh this year.
Photo of solar panels via Shutterstock.com
