Radio Flyer’s Chicago headquarters now powered by 606 kW of rooftop solar

credit: dji camera

Radio Flyer, a leading manufacturer of wagons for kids, is on track to making their manufacturing and materials 100% carbon-free. The company was looking to add to its sustainability portfolio and make a deeper impact on the surrounding community while lowering their electricity bills through cost-effective rooftop solar.

Sunvest proposed a fully integrated solution spanning four separate rooftop arrays using SolarEdge’s Three Phase Inverters with Synergy Technology and P860 Power Optimizers. The system was chosen for its design flexibility and the ability to produce more clean energy over the system’s lifetime compared to a traditional string inverter solution, while reducing costly grid dependence.

“SolarEdge was the obvious choice because of its design flexibility — longer strings mean we can add more modules at less cost and stay within our margins. Plus, their patented Power Optimizers give us the unique ability to mitigate shading issues through module-level control. Finally, and most importantly, SolarEdge’s focus on system protection with advanced fire safety features made it easy to comply with Chicago’s strict safety guidelines and the latest NEC 2017/2020 requirements,” said Joe Gordon, Sr. Project Developer at Sunvest.

The SolarEdge system is predicted to offset more than half of Radio Flyer headquarters’ electricity usage — saving the toy giant approximately $50,000 in utility bills, annually. As a result, more funds will be directed toward employee programs and expanding manufacturing lines. Radio Flyer’s management sees this as a strategic investment in the company’s future and hopes to inspire every staffer to live and work in an environmentally sustainable way, while setting an example for other companies.

“Our mission is to spread smiles to kids of all ages and create warm memories that last a lifetime. We do that through our innovative products, but also by acting sustainably to improve our world. By working with Sunvest and SolarEdge, we took a step closer to achieving our mission,” said Eric Selner, VP of operations & sustainability at Radio Flyer.

News item from SolarEdge

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Original Source: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2021/09/radio-flyer-chicago-headquarters-606-kw-rooftop-solar/