Victory Brewing Company is harnessing the energy of the sun to power its beer-making with the recent installation of 345 photovoltaic panels.
Installed by SunPower Builders of Collegeville, PA, the system will generate approximately 82,000kWh of clean, green electricity each year. A system monitor installed in the public restaurant of Victory Brewing Company will display live data regarding the system’s energy generation for patrons to witness. An official ribbon cutting ceremony initiating this solar energy generation system will be held on Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 4 pm at the Victory Brewing Company.
Solar panel installation started in May after Victory had worked with SunPower to design the 69kW system. The amount of power produced by this system will not rely on solar module efficiency alone. As a design consideration, the angle at which SunPower installed the solar modules was set to maximize efficiency of the system. Efficiency of the system is also dependent on sunlight. Though here in Pennsylvania twice as much sunlight will strike the panels in summer months over winter months, the modules’ efficiency typically drop due to higher ambient temperatures in summer. Overall, the solar electric system here at Victory should only show a 2-3% difference in output between winter and summer months, demonstrating that solar power generation is viable in most climates.
Adam Garber of PennEnvironment (www.PennEnvironment.org), recognized the significance of this installation by stating “Victory’s solar electric project shows that businesses continue to turn to clean, renewable energy to protect the environment and reduce their costs. We congratulate them on their continued commitment to Pennsylvania’s environment, which is only matched by their commitment to making award winning beer.” PennEnvironment will take part in the January 6 ribbon cutting event.
From Victory’s beginnings in February 1996, founders Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet had environmental responsibility in mind when they decided to rejuvenate the existing buildings of a former Pepperidge Farm factory instead of building new from the ground up. In 2004, Victory upgraded their brewhouse with a system that is capable of recovering much of the primary energy fueling it. Essentially, a third of the natural gas burned to heat and boil beer is not lost, but retained in the system for heating purposes, enabling Victory to reduce their CO2 emissions.
In 2009 and 2010, Victory installed a total of 12 thermally-protected, energy efficient fermenters whose cooling and temperature monitoring will now be powered with photovoltaic electricity, in keeping with the company’s ethic of low environmental impact manufacturing.
Victory Brewing Company is a privately held craft brewery located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Begun by Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet, childhood friends who met on a school bus in 1973, the brewery formally began operations in February of 1996. Victory, Pennsylvania’s widely acclaimed brewery and restaurant, now serves fans of fully flavored beers in 29 states with innovative beers melding European ingredients and technology with American creativity. To learn more about Victory Brewing Company visit www.victorybeer.com.
