In California, Taylor Farms, the leading producer of value-added produce and healthy fresh foods in North America, unveiled a first of its kind, sustainable energy system at the company’s Gonzales, California facility. The facility will now utilize wind, solar and cogeneration energy systems to offset energy usage by 90 percent, making it the first system of its kind in the agriculture industry.
Combined, the systems generate 4.25 MW of energy on-site, which will be utilized to run the 192,000 square foot fresh vegetable processing plant. At times, the facility will generate enough power to operate 100 percent of operations, but on average, the three systems will offset energy usage by more than 90 percent.
The system includes a 1 MW GE wind turbine, a 1 MW solar array and a natural-gas-powered cogeneration system. With natural gas and on-site energy production, this system is 21 percent cleaner than a utility grid.