United Natural Foods to Dedicate Installation of Largest Solar Electric System in New England
Dayville, Conn., Dec. 11. 2007
Source; CNN Money.com /PRNewswire
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/NYTU06711122007-1.htm
United Natural Foods, Inc. along with Solar Works, Inc., the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund and several Connecticut politicians, are scheduled to dedicate the installation of the largest solar electric system in New England on December 13, 2007. The 550-kilowatt STC solar photovoltaic system, installed at UNFI’s natural foods distribution facility in Dayville, Conn., is expected to generate approximately 600,000 kilowatt hours of clean energy annually, enough to power more than 67 average New England homes for one year. The system output will avoid over 14 million pounds (over 6,350 metric tons) of carbon dioxide over the 25-year life of the system.
Milestone Clean Energy Project
United Natural Foods is one of the country’s largest distributors of natural and organic foods and is partnering with the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), a ratepayer fund administered by Connecticut Innovations Inc. The $1.9 million grant from CCEF is provided through the fund’s On-Site Renewable Distributed Generation Program. The development and installation of the solar electric system has been managed by Solar Works, Inc., a leading renewable energy systems integrator in the Northeast U.S. with over 800 solar energy installations and 25 years of experience.
WHEN Thursday, December 13th 2007. 10:00 a.m. Eastern
WHERE United Natural Foods. 260 Lake Road Dayville, CT 06241
http://www.unfi.com/events/solar_panels.html
WHY United Natural Foods, CCEF and Solar Works, Inc. all share a commitment to renewable energy and our environment. CCEF promotes the development and commercialization of clean energy technologies. Solar Works, Inc. is active in commercializing new technologies and developing renewable energy programs for both public and private sector clients.
The Dayville, Conn. facility serves as both United Natural Foods’ corporate headquarters, as well as a regional distribution center in the Company’s nationwide distribution network. The facility employs more than 500 people and serves customers in both the New England area and New York. United Natural Foods has the largest warehouse capacity of any distributor in the natural products industry and, with the recent addition of the Sarasota, Florida location it has more than 3.8 million square feet of space at 17 distribution centers nationwide.
About the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF)
CCEF was created by the Connecticut General Assembly and is administered by Connecticut Innovations, a quasi-public organization. CCEF promotes the development and commercialization of clean energy technologies; the creation of clean energy supply; and the demand for electricity from clean, renewable sources in Connecticut in order to strengthen Connecticut’s economy, protect community health, improve the environment, and promote a secure energy supply for the state. CCEF’s funding comes from a surcharge on electric ratepayers’ utility bills. For more information on CCEF, please visit http://www.ctcleanenergy.com.
About Solar Works Inc.
Solar Works, Inc. (http://www.solarworksinc.com) is the leading solar electric systems integrator in the Northeast serving commercial, institutional and residential customers. Over the past 25 years, Solar Works has installed over 800 renewable energy systems. Solar Works has expertise in engineering design, project management, performance analysis, project financing and renewable energy credit programs. Founded in 1980, Solar Works is active in commercializing new technologies and developing renewable energy programs for both public and private sector clients.
About United Natural Foods
United Natural Foods, Inc. carries and distributes more than 40,000 products to more than 17,000 customers nationwide. The Company serves a wide variety of retail formats including conventional supermarket chains, natural product superstores, independent retail operators and the food service channel. United Natural Foods, Inc. was ranked by Forbes in 2005 as one of the “Best Managed Companies in America,” ranked by Fortune in 2006 and 2007 as one of its “Most Admired Companies,” and ranked by Business Ethics as one of its “100 Best Corporate Citizens for 2006.”