LION Solar Photovoltaic

LION, the largest family-owned manufacturer of first responder personal protective equipment in the United States, has invested in sustainability and resiliency through renewable energy by installing 488 solar panels on the roof of their Kentucky manufacturing plant.

Partnering with HEAPY Solutions, LION took the initiative to decrease their carbon emissions while also improving the quality of lighting for employees. The addition of solar panels will provide the plant with a peak of 160 kW of electrical power, and when combined with the installation of energy-efficient LED lighting, the result is a 50% reduction in current energy spend.

Project highlights:

• There are 488 solar panels on the roof providing a peak of 160 kW of electrical power. That is over 10,300 SF of solar panels.
• The solar panels with the LED lighting improvement will provide around 33% of the building’s power.
• LED lighting will last approximately 10 to 15, years, which is over 3X longer than traditional fluorescent lighting.
• Payback is estimated at 8.5 years.
• The project is expected to reduce 145 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.