LONDONDERRY, N.H. — With two solar thermal systems and a 150-kilowatt photovoltaic array, solar energy has become an integral part of the manufacturing process at Wire Belt Company of America. ReVision Energy completed the expansion of the manufacturer’s existing rooftop solar capacity by 50 kilowatts. At the time of its initial installation, Wire Belt’s 100-kilowatt array was the largest in the state.
The Londonderry-based company manufactures customized conveyor belts, mainly for the food industry. The expanded solar array will boost the company’s ability to hold down operating costs and will further its goal of eventually offsetting 100% of the facility’s energy use through renewable technologies, a milestone already achieved at the company’s locations in Germany and the United Kingdom.
Wire Belt chief executive officer David Greer is a passionate solar-energy advocate. With a background as an engineer and a conservationist, he said solar “just makes sense.”
For a manufacturing facility like Wire Belt, solar energy curbs high utility and operations costs.
“Manufacturing companies have many cost centers, and electricity can be a large cost,” Mr. Greer said. “Anything we can do to drop our expenses helps to keep us competitive.”
