VELUX America LLC, based in Fort Mill, S.C., had solar panel canopies installed at the company’s North American headquarters. VELUX also has solar panel canopies at a production facility in Greenwood, S.C., and distribution center in Broomfield, Colo.
“This announcement represents a small but significant part of our broader sustainability strategy to achieve a 100 percent carbon reduction in our operational emissions,” says Stephan Moyon, president at VELUX. “It’s the only world we have, so we need to take care of it. We’re dedicated to making our organization, our products, and our future value chain more sustainable in order to create a better future for generations to come. It’s our nature.”
The canopies will generate enough electricity to offset the total projected power usage of the 929.03 m2 (10,000 sf) Fort Mill office where the VELUX sales and marketing team works. The canopies, which capture energy even on cloudy days, will provide:
- Electricity generation: The canopies have a projected output of 184.1 megawatts per year, which will be monitored through Sunny Portal’s SMA Energy App.
- CO2 reduction: The projected power generation will allow VELUX to reduce its carbon footprint by 100 tons.
- Weather protection: By covering 24 parking spaces and the walkway into the office, the canopies double as rain cover for employees and customers and shade for their vehicles.
Gregory Electric Ltd., based in Columbia, S.C., designed and installed the solar panel canopies. In addition to the canopies, there are four new electric vehicle charging stations for company fleet cars.
In September 2020, VELUX announced its Sustainability Strategy 2030, which aims to achieve a 100 percent reduction in its operational emissions, halve its value chain emissions and capture the equivalent of its historical footprint from operations through forest protection and restoration. Click here for more information.