EHS Support was retained by a pressure-treated wood products manufacturer to develop a comprehensive “net-zero strategy” for the company and complete a comprehensive facility-wide evaluation of rooftop, large-scale solar photovoltaic power generation. The program of works included a comprehensive evaluation of energy usage at all facilities, evaluation of infrastructure and peak power demands, and modeling the solar potential and output for each facility. Using a proprietary model developed by EHS Support, a ranking of site suitability was developed for all sites and a program of works was developed for all U.S.-based sites to assist the client in meeting Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) goals and reducing annual operating costs for utility-based electricity. The evaluation also included state-by-state comparisons of existing and future regulatory framework:
- Assessment of Scope 1, 2, and 3 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.
- Detailed study of current solar technologies and associated costs.
- Development of a proprietary solar modeling toolbox utilizing five years of solar data with statistical analysis for data quality assurance.
- Solar potential mapping of client sites.
- Evaluation of federal and state regulatory framework, including permitting, tax incentives, and financing options.
- Full portfolio site evaluation and ranking with detailed evaluations on five sites.
- Development of a cost-estimation tool and evaluation of retained sites by various financial indicators (ROI, IRR, LCOE1, etc.).
- Development of an emissions offset calculation tool for Scope 1 and Scope 2 reductions that would assist the client in achieving ESG goals.
- Presentation of results to client CEO and approval for budgeting for the pilot site in 2021.
EHS Support’s evaluation of 35+ client sites, along with our detailed evaluation of 5 retained sites, assisted the client in selection of a pilot plant for an initial solar installation. Following this selection, an expression of interest (EOI) has been developed to be sent to market for 2021 installation. The client plans to retain EHS Support for the evaluation and development of additional sites following completion of the pilot-plant installation. Additionally, the client owns multiple landfills that will be evaluated in future work for ground-mounted solar panel installations.
1 ROI = Return on Investment; IRR = Internal Rate of Return; LCOE = Levelized Cost of Energy