“We showed Climb how switching all of their light bulbs to LEDs at the West facility would reduce consumption by 20%,” explains Kevin Johnson, Energy Advisor with PCE. “Those savings help Climb pay for the solar system, and the combined technologies will cut their electric bills in half,” Johnson says.
LightWave Solar installed a 50kW solar system – 151 solar panels – on top of Climb Nashville West. The solar panels are expected to generate more than $6,500 annually as part of TVA’s Green Power Providers program (GPP). Under the 2017 GPP program, Climb will sell all of their solar electricity to the utility at the escalating GSA-1 rate (currently about 11 cents/kWh) for 20 years.
“I realized that solar was more affordable than I thought it would be,” says Lance Brock, co-owner of Climb Nashville. “I compared the savings of both upgrades with the cost, and decided it was a smart move, especially with the financing available through Pathway Lending,” he says.
Pathway Lending is a Tennessee lender that offers a 5 year, 2% interest loan for businesses doing energy efficiency and solar energy projects. Climb Nashville’s energy investment will pay for itself in 5 years, and Climb will reap the savings for decades to come – about $12,000 each year! These savings will “climb” as electric rates rise.
Click here to learn about the environmental benefits and how to contact PCE.
