https://electrek.co/2025/07/18/metro-atlanta-factory-roof-is-now-a-solar-record-breaker/
The company partnered with Cherry Street Energy to install the nearly 2,000-panel system, which was completed in less than four months. Cherry Street invested $1.8 million into the project and is covering all construction and maintenance costs through a 30-year energy procurement agreement. Beauflor will buy solar power directly from Cherry Street, allowing it to avoid upfront capital costs while still lowering its energy bills.
“As Georgia’s manufacturers ramp up production amid rising costs for grid energy, sophisticated operators seek ways to quickly and sustainably address their energy needs,” said Cherry Street CEO Michael Chanin. “On-site solar with no capital expense delivers just that: reliable, affordable electricity.”
Jerry Wagner
2 days ago
In 2023, France mandated solar canopies on ALL existing parking lots larger than 80 spaces within 5 years, and for very large lots within 3 years. France, the country with the largest % of nuclear generation and a single nationalized electric utility.
Here in the US, there’s a glaring mismatch between the self interest of relatively wealthy owners of leased residential & commercial properties with large parking lots and their tenants, who pay the utility bills. We have already made generous tax credit incentives for solar development available to wealthy property investors with big parking lots. But we haven’t required them to use it, nationally or locally.
Our energy policy failure ignores the reliable micro grid synergy of solar canopies shading hot asphalt parking lots, with non-flammable on-site battery storage BESS and Vehicle-2-BESS chargers that generate, store & distribute the cheapest renewable energy right where most utility rate-payers live, commute & work. No new utility monopoly transmission, site acquisition, or other site improvement spending required. And no complicated, expensive permitting or armies of litigious NIMBYS. These benefits are so obvious to the owners of new health care facilities in my county, they’ve already covered 80% of their parking with solar canopies. They get it.