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How Solar Panels for Industrial Use Allow Us to Weld Steel with the Sun!

Our world only has so many natural resources we can harness for energy. And once they’re gone, they’re gone for good! That’s why GSM Industrial has partnered with the MVE Group to install 1,828 solar panels on the roof of our building in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. These solar panels for industrial use will allow us to reduce our carbon footprint by providing renewable energy for the next 30 years.

Why Did GSM Turn to Solar Energy?

To meet your metal fabrication and welding needs, we must use a lot of electricity to power our 40 welders and all our fabrication equipment. For example, one of our Miller Pipework’s 400 welding machines runs off 480 volts, and we usually run it at about 20 to 25 amps. That means it can draw 12,000 watts of power, which depletes our world’s natural resources quickly.

By installing the 1,828 Canadian solar panels, each capable of generating about 485 watts of electricity, we now have a renewable energy source rated at 886 kWDC. The amount of power these solar panels for industrial use generate can offset our energy usage by 92-95% by generating 1.051-gigawatt hours of electricity in a year!

What Are the Benefits of Solar Power for Industrial Use?

The benefits of solar panels are tremendous. In addition to generating most of our electricity needs, we’re helping the environment, creating a cost-effective solution to our energy needs, and providing better services for you.

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Reduce Our Carbon Footprint

By using solar power for our industrial processes, we will reduce our carbon footprint and the impact we have on the world around us. Additionally, welding with solar power helps the environment by reducing emissions generated from traditional energy sources, like coal and oil.

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Keep Your Costs Low

This entire project cost us $1.2 million. However, we plan on rebates, tax credits, and solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) to offset more than half of that cost. Plus, the entire project will be paid off in about five years. These savings mean we can keep our customers’ welding and metal fabrication costs low.

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Provide Reliable Services

Since solar panels for industrial use are a reliable source of clean, renewable energy, our operations have consistent power to do the work you need us to do. A storm knocking out the power and generators will no longer affect our operations, getting your welding and metal fabrication done on time.

How Welding Metal with the Sun Helps the Environment

It’s clear the enormous impact these solar panels for industrial use will have on you and our business. But their impact on the environment is much more important!

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

By harnessing the power of the sun, we’re conserving greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to:

  • 135 Gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year
  • 1,559,614 Miles driven by an average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle
Industrial smoke from a chimney.
Chimneys and silos of a factory.

CO2 Emissions

Additionally, we’re also saving CO2 emissions that is equal to:

  • 70,701 Gallons of gasoline consumed
  • 61,721 Gallons of diesel fuel consumed
  • 8.3 Tanker truck’s worth of gasoline

Carbon Equivalents

We’re also reducing the amount of carbon we generate, which is equivalent to the work of filtering out carbon by:

  • 10,389 Tree seedlings grown for 10 years
  • 4.2 Acres of U.S. forests preserved from conversion to cropland in one year
  • 744 Acres of U.S. forests in one year
The view from the ground, looking up in a beech tree forest.
Solar panels mounted on a building with the sunset in the background.

Landfill Impacts

The energy generated by the solar panels is equivalent to decreasing the load on our nation’s landfills by:

  • 217 Tons of waste recycled instead of landfilled
  • 31.1 Garbage trucks of waste recycled instead of landfilled
  • 27,197 garbage bags of waste recycled instead of landfilled

Choose the Company that Welds with the Sun with Our Solar Panels for Industrial Use

GSM Industrial is proud of the steps we’ve taken to lessen our dependence on traditional energy sources and use an eco-friendlier energy source. These solar panels for industrial use will lessen our energy bills and help us provide better service to you, our valued customers.

Because of the solar power generated and nearly all of our power coming from the sun, our business can remain resilient in unstable economic times. It will help us keep our prices to you lower since we aren’t tied to the ever-fluctuating energy costs. Additionally, solar energy is reliable and consistent, meaning no natural disaster or a car crashing into the electric poles can stop us!

The next time you have a welding or custom metal fabrication job you need, think of the company that welds steel with the sun—GSM Industrial!