Grass Valley’s Prosperity Lanes bowling alley goes solar
As printed in the Union Newspaper, August 18, 2019
Prosperity Lanes is one of the latest businesses in Grass Valley to go solar.
California Solar Electric Company installed 215 of the new SunPower 395W P-series commercial solar panels.
“These are the first panels coming out of SunPower’s new U.S. factory located in Hillsboro, Oregon,” Martin Webb, Cal Solar’s commercial sales manager, said in a news release. “At the end of last year, they acquired an existing solar panel factory and re-tooled it to begin making their new high-efficiency P-series.”
For Prosperity Lanes owner Art King, the decision to install solar was about economics. This is also why many other businesses are choosing solar energy using companies similar to this commercial solar contractor in Santa Cruz, CA and others to try and decrease their future energy bills, hopefully increasing the business’ profits.
“When I first thought about having solar installed, I thought it wouldn’t be affordable,” King said. “And I don’t mean to say not economical. We are expecting to save 80 to 90% off our electric bill. It will have a pretty immediate and rapid return on our investment, not counting the tax benefits.”
“With a lot of machinery at work to run pinsetters, ball returns, and air conditioning, plus lights, scoreboards, and a commercial kitchen, Prosperity Lanes uses a decent amount of power,” Webb said. “With PG&E rates higher than ever (their rates went up this year on Jan 1, March 1, May 1, and then again on July 1), the bowling alley was running bills as high as $5,000 in the heat of summer and as low as $1,500 in early winter, for an annual average bill of just over $3,000/mo., and going up 5% a year.”
Webb said with solar on the roof, Prosperity Lanes now produces more than 80% of the facility’s power needs, which eliminates 97% of their annual bill. Factor in the 30% federal tax credit — which sunsets in 2019 and drops to 26% — along with other tax benefits, and he system is expected to pay for itself in under three years, Webb said.
Prosperity Lanes is located at 420 Henderson St. in Grass Valle. Call 530-274-6484 or visit ProsperityLanes.com for information.