Project Summary
In partnership with Norwich Solar, Flour Power, and Norwich Fire District, King Arthur Baking is enabling increased solar production in Norwich – helping meet both town and state goals for clean energy production. The solar array, sited on a former sandpit on Route 5 near Patchen’s Point, is operated as a group net-metering system with King Arthur Baking as customer.
The array will generate ~931,500 kilowatt hours a year, offsetting more than 100% of King Arthur Baking’s energy usage at its retail location in Norwich, VT. This equates to power usage of 125 single-family homes in Vermont, or the carbon sequestered by 775 acres of U.S. forests in 1 year.
“Triple Bottom Line” for KAF
Suzanne McDowell, VP of Social Responsibility and Sustainability, commented “As a Certified B Corp, King Arthur Baking has a responsibility to take all stakeholders into account. This is a triple bottom line project with social, environmental, and financial benefits. In signing this 20-year agreement, we are creating a more sustainable future for our community – generating jobs, providing local clean energy, and putting unproductive land back into use. It’s a win-win-win!”
Norwich Solar Scope
Norwich Solar co-founder Troy McBride explains that, “This project is a great example of putting unproductive land back into productive use via a renewable energy project and increasing local Vermont energy generation. It is built on a former sand pit owned by the Norwich Fire District, the host of this project. We are delighted to work with King Arthur Baking, Norwich Fire District, and Flour Power.”100% employee-owned King Arthur Baking is America’s oldest flour company, founded in Boston in 1790.
Production Statistics
- Anticipated Production: 931,500 kWh per year
- Percentage of electric load offset by array: 100%
Environmental Benefits / Offset Equivalents**
- 659 metric tons of CO2 yearly
- Carbon sequestered by 775 acres of forests in 1 year
(**estimates based on 50K lbs. carbon offset/ 579 trees planted and 52,000 miles driven per kW over system life)