The 408,000 kilowatt-hours solar electricity will be enough to power around 40-50 area homes.
GreenWaste’s recently completed, state-of-the-art MRF is one of the most innovative processing facilities in the world, capable of sorting, recovering and recycling 85% of household waste. This 85% diversion rate translates into huge volumes of material that are not buried in a landfill, but rather given new life as usable products. Utilizing clean, renewable energy to power its operations allows GreenWaste to further reduce its carbon footprint, air pollution and dependence on fossil fuel.
SolarCity designed and installed the solar arrays—each measuring around 50,000 square feet and spreading across nearly 80,000 square feet—on GreenWaste’s Material Recovery Facility and transfer station, located at 625 Charles Street, just north of downtown San Jose. SolarCity financed the system for GreenWaste through a solar power purchase agreement (PPA). SolarCity’s PPA allows GreenWaste to put zero money down and lower its annual electricity costs.
The project truly reflects the value our company places on green technology and environmental stewardship,” said Richard Cristina, president of GreenWaste Recovery. “We are using the power of the sun, a clean renewable energy source, to divert recyclable and compostable materials away from landfills and put them to good use.
“SolarCity’s PPA offers the same benefit to businesses that our SolarLease delivers for residents—use clean power and lower your electricity costs,” said Lyndon Rive, chief executive officer of SolarCity. “Greenwaste is at the cutting edge of a critical new movement among American businesses, proving that companies can lower their operating costs and lower their pollution and carbon footprint at the same time.”
