Solar powered manufacturing will, without a doubt, be a hot topic in the near future. Generating solar power to run modules, which provide cleaner electricity and cut electricity costs, is not the only resource that may be provided to us by the sun. Large photovoltaic arrays have been used in large business buildings, warehouses and homes, for a long time now, and they are effective. But it would be foolish to cease looking for more gifts; this is being proven lately by a small Sacramento company called, Plastic Package, INC.
Plastic Package uses solar power for a variety of purposes; perhaps the most innovative of which is forming virgin and plastic products into useable and re-useable products. These products include plastic containers for food, such as chocolate confections, agricultural and baked goods. And they also make products for medical, electronic and retail industries.
Plastic Package has a 208 kilowatt solar system, which generates the energy that it uses for its manufacturing its products, and serves to assist its local power provider, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) in reducing its summer peak loads during the sunniest time of the day.
The company uses for its solar system, cylindrical thin film panels from Solyndra. The Solyndra cylinders use something called, CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide). The module captures light from different angles, as the Sun arcs across the sky. The module also collects rays which bounce off the company’s roof, to form a 360 degree “solar collection service.” The system was installed by Premier Power Renewable Energy, and is the biggest cylindrical thin film solar system to the west of the state of New Jersey.