Mars Solar Breaks Ground

Mars Solar Breaks Ground

Source: Mars website

Mars Solar Garden will Provide 20 Percent of the Hackettstown Plant’s Peak Power Consumption

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – Mars Snackfood US and PSEG Solar Source LLC recently broke ground on a solar garden at Mars US Corporate Headquarters and manufacturing site in Hackettstown, New Jersey. The solar garden will be home to over 28,000 solar panels and the largest solar garden in the State of New Jersey to be installed by a food manufacturing plant. The solar garden will provide two megawatts of solar electric power durhttps://www.juwiamericas.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=2370&action=edit#edit_timestamping peak hours, which is equivalent to approximately 20 percent of the plant’s peak consumption. In addition, the solar garden will reduce CO2 emissions by more than 1,000 metric tons, equivalent to removing 190 vehicles from the road each year.

“At Mars Snackfood US we are committed to making sustainability a central component of our business and the Hackettstown solar garden is just one of the many environmental initiatives we have underway,” said Nick Hastilow, vice president of commercial, Mars Snackfood US. “This project will greatly benefit the environment and our business and we expect it will also reduce energy costs. As an active member of the Hackettstown community for 51 years, we are excited to bring new innovation and alternative energy to the region and share our corporate commitment to be an environmentally-friendly citizen.”

Mars Snackfood US and PSEG Solar Source have created a long-term partnership to ensure the success and longevity of the Hackettstown solar garden. PSEG Solar Source will own the system located on Mars Snackfood US’ property. Mars has contracted for the entire output of the system. Engineering, procurement and construction services will be provided by juwi solar Inc., a solar energy company based in Colorado. The solar garden is scheduled to be complete in October 2009.

“We’re excited to partner with Mars Snackfood US as we build our first large-scale solar development,” said Diana Drysdale, Development Director for PSEG Global. “PSEG Solar Source is seeking to develop and own solar plants throughout the United States, and focuses on utility scale projects. This solar garden is an example of how PSEG is working with strategic partners to battle climate change, control energy costs and fuel economic growth.”

In addition to the solar garden, Mars Snackfood US’ Hackettstown plant has also developed environmental and energy savings initiatives including reducing waste sent to landfills, recycling of packaging and raw material byproducts and a lighting retrofit project to further reduce electricity consumption. Mars Snackfood US has also been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its methane gas project at its Waco, Texas manufacturing plant. The plant receives methane gas directly from the City landfill to power the plant’s boiler system. The methane gas will provide approximately 60 percent of the Waco plant’s total boiler fuel requirements for the next 25 years. The project has also received the Keep Waco Beautiful Partners in Pride 2009 Sustainability Award and the Texas Environmental Excellence Award.

PSEG has been active in promoting renewable energy. PSE&G, a regulated gas and electric utility in New Jersey has launched a $105 million solar loan program and an 80 MW Solar4All program that involves attaching solar panels to 200,000 utility poles. PSEG Global is developing a 350 MW wind farm off the coast of New Jersey. PSEG has also invested in Energy Storage & Power (ES&P) a company that is promoting the development of compressed air energy storage.

About Mars Snackfood US:
Mars Snackfood US is the United States snack operations of Mars North America. With more than $7 billion in annual sales in the United States, Mars North America includes food, snack and pet care segments, which are a symbol of excellence for quality brands. Headquartered in Mount Olive, N.J., Mars North America employs more than 12,000 associates in the United States, with 54 facilities nationwide. Mars Snackfood US, headquartered in Hackettstown, N.J., includes some of the world’s favorite brands such as DOVE® Brand Chocolate, M&M’S® Brand, MILKY WAY® Brand , SNICKERS® Brand, 3 MUSKETEERS® Brand, TWIX® Brand and more. Additional popular brands in the petcare and food segments for Mars North America include UNCLE BEN’S® Brand, PEDIGREE® Brand Food for Dogs, and WHISKAS® Brand Food for Cats. Please visit www.mars.com.

About PSEG:
Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG) is a publicly traded diversified energy company with annual revenues of more than $13 billion, and three principal subsidiaries: PSEG Power, PSEG Energy Holdings, and Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G). PSEG Energy Holdings has two main unregulated energy-related businesses: PSEG Global and PSEG Resources. PSEG Solar Source LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of PSEG, formed to develop, construct, own and operate large-scale solar facilities outside of the company’s regulated service area. PSEG Solar Source LLC is not the same company as PSE&G, the New Jersey based electric and gas utility. PSEG Solar Source is not regulated by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. You do not have to purchase any PSEG Solar Source products in order to receive quality regulated services from PSE&G.

About juwi solar Inc.
juwi solar Inc. (JSI) is a privately held solar energy generation company based in Boulder, Colorado. JSI’s primary business is the development, design, construction, operation and maintenance of utility-scale (1MW and larger) solar energy generation facilities in North America.