Penske Truck Leasing said it is implementing a solar-powered initiative to enhance efficiency, reduce energy costs, and cut emissions at select locations in the U.S. The company is installing its first rooftop solar-powered systems at certain truck leasing, truck rental, and truck maintenance facilities. The new facility in Channahon, Illinois, is now operational and largely powered by an onsite photovoltaic (PV) solar system, Penske said. This system is expected to cover about 80% of the building’s energy needs with a capacity of 200 KW. The remaining energy will be supplied by the local utility provider.

A facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan, will become active in the coming months, and the Linden, New Jersey, location is expected to launch in 2025, according to Penske. These facilities are part of Penske’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building program.

Under a power purchase agreement with Sunrock Distributed Generation, seven additional Penske facilities in California are expected to be retrofitted with new PV solar systems within the next year, Penske said. These locations, including Fresno, Hayward, La Mirada, National City, Riverside, San Diego, and San Leandro, are projected to generate approximately 600 KW of renewable energy collectively.

Penske is working with San Francisco-based ForeFront Power as the lead project consultant for this solar initiative.

“Our solar program is an important piece of our renewable energy strategy and ForeFront Power continues to be an outstanding partner in helping us bring these projects to fruition,” said Drew Cullen, senior vice president of fuels and facility services at Penske. “These investments will allow us to directly generate our own renewable energy to power our locations and continue to support our customers with sustainable solutions.”

On average, four solar panel-powered Penske Truck Leasing facilities will generate an estimated 1 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of renewable energy annually, Penske said. This will result in an emissions avoidance of 442 metric tons CO2e, equivalent to powering nearly 90 homes for one year.