Going Solar 

Saves Company Some Green

May 2007 -- Pacific Power Management, LLC, has completed the design and installation of a 132-kilowatt solar electric system for the VanDePol Petroleum headquarters in Stockton.  The $1.1 million project qualifies for a $462,287 rebate from Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Self Generation Incentive Program.

VanDePol Enterprises, Inc. is a petroleum distributor serving all of Northern California with fuels and lubricants. Fuel Delivery Services is a bulk transporter of petroleum products operating multiple terminals in Northern California.

The 924 module solar electric system was designed and installed by Pacific Power Management.  The system will generate electricity to power the petroleum distributor’s central valley headquarters. When the solar array generates more electricity than VanDePol needs, it exports the electricity back to the grid, causing VanDePol’s meter to run backward.  VanDePol uses approximately 240,000 kilowatts annually to operate their office buildings.  Based on annual figures, the new system will generate enough electricity to reduce VanDePol’s electric bills completely, an average of $3,900 per month.

“As a local energy provider, we felt it was important to conserve our natural resources and use alternative, renewable sources of power where possible,” said president Ron VanDePol. “Also, it made sense from a business standpoint.  Our electricity bill is estimated to be 80-90% lower on a yearly basis.  It also means that our communities can breathe easier and continue to enjoy California and all its beauty.  We are excited to be involved in this technology and know that it will exceed our expectations.”

In addition to being cost-effective, the solar panels at VanDePol Petroleum’s office building also help the environment, a goal shared by both PG&E and Pacific Power Management.  This solar system has the potential to offset approximately 2,325 tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the next 25 years.  That’s equivalent to taking 323 cars off the road for the same period of time.

Pacific Power Management believes that each customer has different needs and sets of challenges. “Every solar system we design and install is customized to the needs of our customer.  Our project management follows a rigorous process: assessment, design, engineering, financing, installation, promotion and maintenance” states Mark Frederick, principal of Pacific Power Management.

The $462,962 rebate presented VanDePol Enterprises today comes from Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s self-generation incentive program, a program designed primarily for business-sized systems, which help to meet some, or all, of a facility’s power needs

“We applaud VanDePol Enterprises for their vision and wisdom to better manage their energy costs while also helping the environment,” said Helen Burt, senior vice president and chief customer officer at PG&E. “Advancing solar is consistent with our customers’ energy vision and our goals of encouraging the development of clean and renewable power.”

PG&E’s self-generation incentive program is part of the company’s broader commitment to renewable energy.  

PG&E is a national leader in supplying its customers with clean renewable energy. More than fifty percent of the energy it provides comes from emission-free sources such as solar, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, biomass and waste.    As an industry leader in solar power integration, the company has interconnected 14,000 solar customers - more than any other utility in the country.  PG&E has also provided 190 million dollars in rebates towards 400 eligible solar generation incentive projects since the program’s inception in June 2002.