Brewed with the Sun

Solar Business Profile: Wise Man Brewing

wise-man-solar-siteThe Opportunity

This Winston-Salem brewery made a big commitment in 2017, when it announced something no other production brewery in the Triad had up to that point: Wise Man Brewing was going solar.

They made the choice partly to address electricity costs, which can be substantial in making beer. The vital stats are: 34-kiloWatt solar system, will offset a majority of the brewery’s future power bills, and generated news coverage on Spectrum Cable and in the Triad Business Journal.

The Commitment

The solar system sends a message as Wise Man Co-Founder Jason Morehead puts it, “We have always had a focus on sustainability. Now that we’re up and running, we’ve been able to take a step back and focus more on our footprint. Anyone who has been to our taproom knows that community is core to Wise Man’s culture. Being an environmentally friendly brewery is central to being a good neighbor and responsible business.”

The Results

Wise Man’s taproom and production facility are housed in an historic building. As they adapted the space, the renovation included energy efficiency upgrades – the new roof is handy for the solar system – and insulation, LED lights, high-efficiency water taps.

The customer foresees projected savings on monthly operating costs thanks to the efficiency measures combined with solar, according to advanced software programs used during the consultation process for the solar installation. There are community benefits too, like easing grid congestion and enhancing resilience of the energy system.

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Commercial Solar Energy Systems:

How exactly does going solar and a solar system itself work?
Solar energy begins with sunlight that hits the panels to produce energy that flows into your inverter, which converts the DC energy into Alternating Current (AC) electricity that can be used to power your home. This same energy is then consumed when powering your home’s light, appliances, gizmos, and gadgets. If you feel your home isn’t producing the energy that it needs, the utility will fill in the gaps. If you system produces more energy than needed, that energy will go to the grid and your utility will credit you for the unused power.
How many solar panels do I need for my home?
At Renu Energy Solutions we design our solar panel systems size based on three main factors.

Roof-size/available space: When we look at the size of your roof and the space available, we gather data that tell us the maximum number of solar panels your home or site can hold and we even consider shading. We use a software “Suneye” which takes a 360 picture of your roof and we use this photo to determine if your home is a good candidate for solar.

Energy Usage: When we determine energy usage we look at your past electrical bills from over the course of a year to make sure your system isn’t too big or too small.

Your Budget: We take your budget seriously and most importantly, we want you to be satisfied with our services. We take your feedback on how much you want to spend so that we can size your system appropriately.

What is solar net-metering?
Net-metering is a type of utility policy that controls how your system is connected to the grid and how you are credited for the solar energy you produce.
Does Duke Energy offer net-metering?
Yes! Both Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress territories in NC offer net-metering when your homes goes solar. If you are interested in net-metering, no worries. Our team will guide you through the process as certain utilities have a different application procedure.
Curious about the cost of a home solar system?
When our clients ask this question, we immediately tell Tham about the federal tax credit that comes with going solar. The Federal tax credit for going solar is 26% in 2020. For example, if the total cost of you system was $22,000, when you subtract 26% you are then left with a %16,280 solar system. There is not set price for a home going solar as there are many factors that contribute to the total cost. The price of a solar home can range from $10k to $100k based on the size of your roof, energy usage, aesthetic preferences, and of course, budget.

 

 

Ready to Own Your Own Energy?

Speak to Us Today!

  • Hidden

    MM slash DD slash YYYY