Plastic Package utilizes solar power

Plastic Package Inc., a Sacramento, California manufacturing company, is now forming plastic using solar power as an energy source that fits well with their sustainable business practices.

Already a manufacturer of 100 percent post consumer recycled plastic containers, Plastic Package, Inc. has committed to using power from the sun in its manufacturing processes.

“The plastics business is not normally thought of as a green business,” said Jim Kaye, Plastic Package Inc.’s chairman, “but we are making major strides in that direction by using recycled soda bottles as well as bio-based materials in our products. Now that we’ve added solar, we want to let the community and our clients know, so they can feel comfortable that when they use our packaging, they are part of the sustainable process.”

The company is using the latest technology and products to produce plastic products that are both recyclable, non-petroleum based (instead using corn-based components) and compostable.

The company selected an innovative solution by installing the largest cylindrical thin film solar system west of New Jersey. This technology produced by Solyndra, a Bay Area company recently funded by a $535 million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy, was designed, engineered and installed by Premier Power Renewable Energy of El Dorado Hills – all within 10 weeks from signing the contract and just seven weeks for the installation. The installation was completed one week before the scheduled time.

The new 208 kW system installed on the roof will initially handle all of Plastic Package’s peak demand and assist its local power provider, Sacramento Municipal Utility District in reducing its summer peak loads during the hottest part of the day.

With solar, the production peaks simultaneously with energy demand. As the sun heats up into midday, power demand increases. With the sun higher in the sky the output from the rooftop solar system is increased. With the addition of a white membrane roof, the unique cylindrical solar panels boosts production even further.

The new cylindrical modules capture sunlight over a 360 degree photovoltaic surface.