Adding to its already established use of renewable energy, PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America Modesto, California, manufacturing facility, has had a 1MW rooftop solar PV system installed by Solyndra. The project used approximately 5,600 panels and covers 247,000 square feet. Completed in eight weeks, the 1MW system is, per Solyndra, the largest installation completed by the company in the U.S. This solar installation follows the 2008 installation for Frito-Lay on a five-acre solar concentrator field made up of 54,000 square feet of concave mirrors and 384 solar collectors.
“Frito-Lay is utilizing innovative technologies and renewable energy such as solar power to help minimize our impact on the environment,” said Thomas Melead, technical manager, Frito-Lay Modesto. “The Solyndra PV system allows us to maximize one of California’s greatest natural assets – the sun – to take some of the plant off of the electrical grid.”