A celebration was held in McCormick's Hunt Valley Distribution Center on January 21 to recognize the completion of a project that brought solar power to the roofs of that building and the adjacent McCormick Spice Mill.

The project was performed by Constellation Energy's Projects and Services Group and resulted in the installation of 2,100 Solar World 175 watt crystalline solar panels and 92,000 square feet of lightweight, flexible thin-film photovoltaic material.

The system is expected to generate approximately one megawatt of electricity supplying energy equivalent to the electricity used by about 110 homes in a year.

It is estimated that McCormick's electricity costs for these buildings will be reduced by approximately 30 percent in the first year alone, and the electricity produced by the system will reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing about 150 vehicles from the road annually.

"We at McCormick are excited by this project because it is one of our most visible sustainability projects to date, but I'm proud to say that our commitment to the environment goes back many, many years," said McCormick President and CEO Alan Wilson.

"These solar panels provide renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gases within the community and provide McCormick with energy cost savings - the classic win-win. We are an agriculturally-based business and are mindful of the environment and take measures to preserve and protect those resources."

Greg Jarosinski, president and CEO of Constellation Energy's Projects and Services Group, also offered remarks at the celebration.

"This project is an example of the right forces coming together at the right time to address the issues of energy and environment, and doing it in a way that makes economic sense," Jarosinski remarked.

Others who addressed the gathering included Malcolm Woolf, Director of the Maryland Energy Administration; David Iannucci, Executive Director of the Baltimore County Department of Economic Development, and David Carroll, Director of the Baltimore County Office of Sustainability.

Related Links
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