Old Dominion Freight Line announced that it has installed rooftop solar panels on its warehouse in Thomasville, N.C., the first solar panel system in the company’s nationwide network of facilities. The company says the 1.8-megawatt system, comprised of 7,660 individual solar panels that completely cover the company’s 160,000-square-foot roof, can produce more than 2.2 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, enough to offset more than 90 percent of the building’s annual energy costs.
Old Dominion says this results in an environmental benefit of reducing CO2 emissions by a projected 1,547 metric tonnes, or the equivalent of saving 173,380 gallons of gas, providing electricity to 193 homes, removing 303 passenger vehicles from the road, preventing 15.3 acres of trees from deforestation, or not consuming 3,597 barrels of oil.
“The solar panel system is a sound investment for Old Dominion from both an economic and environmental perspective,” says Jayna Long, manager of sustainability at Old Dominion. “The electricity produced by the panels is routed into the local power grid and will fulfill the energy needs of nearly 200 homes this year. We are committed to environmental stewardship projects and are using this solar project to determine the feasibility of installing alternative power sources in other facilities in our network.”
