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Replacements, Ltd. Solar Project

 Replacements, Ltd. + Yes Solar Solutions = 1.32 MW Solar

Replacements, Ltd buys and sells vintage and current china, silver and glassware, offers restorative services, and helps identify patterns for customers who are looking for replacement pieces of their collection.  The company has a long history of sustainability practices, like re-using packaging and recycling in the building.  The nature of the business itself is rooted in facilitating quality pieces of china, silverware, crystal, collectibles (and more) to be used and enjoyed for years to come.  From the attic of founder Bob Page in 1981, to its current 300,000 square foot building, Replacements has found a niche that offers services and scale not found elsewhere. A building of conditioned space that large, with lighting throughout, uses a lot of energy. And the company has always prided itself on values like community responsibility and sustainability, so clean renewable energy seemed a good fit.

Solutions Oriented

Replacements, Ltd. reached out to Yes Solar at the suggestion of another large solar company in N.C. that recommended Yes for the size and scope of the project. We were not the only contenders for the project, but we were the winner. Winning the contract was an example of our solutions-oriented approach. The original bid request was for a sell-all (all electricity is sold back to the utility). The building had four service panels, on different schedules. Our analysis showed dividing the array into four smaller systems that all happened to be on the same roof, would allow it to be net-metered (using the electricity generated before sending excess back to the grid). We also recommended to Kelly Smith, Senior Vice President and CFO, that Replacements compare the two different schedules the four lines were on based on usage, to see if the higher demand charges and lower kWh cost or the lower demand cost and higher kWh charges made more sense, and which lines would maximize the solar impact.

The Details

The result was a 1.32 MW solar project, divided into four sections. After engineering and interconnection approval from Duke Energy, the hard work started.  Scaffolding for ease of access to the second story roof and a plywood walkway to protect the standing seam metal roof were first, followed by 9,000 S-5 clamps and racking, and finally the total of 4,072 solar modules and 130 HiQ inverters.

The Benefits of Solar

With a building size of 300,000 square feet, the electricity usage, despite many energy savings modifications already in place, was averaging over 6,200,000 kWh per year. The solar system will generate about 1,900,000 kWh a year, reducing Replacements energy use by 30%. Those energy savings translate into environmental benefits and are evidence of the Replacements Ltd. commitment to sustainability and mission of making the world a better place.

Equivalent Environmental Impacts Annually

  • Greenhouse gas emissions sequestered:
    • 7,502 passenger vehicles driven for one year
    • 85,871,880 miles driven by an average passenger vehicle
    • 12,208 tons of waste recycled instead of landfilled
    • 1,746 garbage trucks of waste recycled instead of landfilled
  • Co2 Emissions from:
    • 3,942,357 gallons of gasoline consumed
    • 38,332,305 pounds of coal burned
    • 464 tanker trucks worth of gasoline
    • 3,783 homes’ energy use for one year
    • 5,251 homes’ electricity use for one year
    • 81,115 barrels of oil consumed
    • 1,432,250 propane cylinders
  • Carbon sequestered by:
    • 907,991 tree seedlings grown for 10 years
    • 41,267 acres of U.S. forests in one year
    • 286 acres of U.S. forests preserved from conversion to cropland in one year

*Statistics calculated from epa.gov

For Yes Solar Solutions, working with a company like Replacements, Ltd. was a great experience.  Their dedication to sustainability, the positive company culture and the customer focus of their culture is aligned with our own core values.  The partnership is an example to other companies of how solar projects can enhance the bottom line,  reduce the carbon footprint, and make a statement of commitment to the environment.  Replacements, Ltd. investment in clean energy is a great example of business leadership, which is needed to fight climate change and preserve the planet.  In addition, with solar comes clean air, clean water, jobs, financial security, and energy security.

 

 

 

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