Following the move into a new, energy-efficient facility and investing in state-of-the-art equipment, Sheet Metal Supply announced on Monday that it has recently switched to operating 100% on solar power.

Verde Solutions, a nationwide full-service energy company, designed and installed a roof-mounted solar array for SMS with a power rating of 159.81 kW-DC, the company said in a July 8 news release. 

The company said the system is estimated to produce 5,780,505 kWh throughout its 30-year lifespan, which is the equivalent to CO2 emissions from 459,865 gallons of gasoline consumed, greenhouse gases from 883 passenger vehicles driven for one year, or carbon sequestered from 68,113 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.

“With our new facility and the recent purchase of new and more efficient equipment, the natural next step was to run our entire operation on solar power,” says Ben Kweton, president of Sheet Metal Supply. 

“The transition to lowering carbon emissions and minimizing our carbon footprint was a conscious decision dedicated to investing responsibly in our future as well as the future of our customers,” he added.

SMS said the solar array was completed in February and up and running by March 2024.

“At Verde Solutions, we are thrilled to congratulate Sheet Metal Supply and its visionary owners, the Kweton family, for their forward-thinking decision to incorporate solar power into their facility,” says Chris Gersch, founder and CEO of Verde Solutions LLC. 

“By powering their operations 100 percent with green, onsite-sourced solar power, SMS is enhancing its commitment to providing top-quality roofing products in a cost-effective and greener way and setting a benchmark in sustainability,” Gersh added.

SMS thanked ComEd, the local power company serving Grayslake, Ill., about 48 miles northwest of Chicago, and the Illinois Power Agency for their incentives.

For more information, visit sheetmetalsupplyltd.com.