GLOUCESTER, MA – The McNiff Company, a commercial real estate owner and developer, has partnered with Solect Energy, the state’s leading commercial installer of solar energy systems, to install a 111.5 kilowatt (kW) solar system on the roof of its Cape Ann Forge office building. The installation will help the company to reach its goal of saving on energy costs in order to grow the business and create lower lease rates for its tenants.
The McNiff Company is a property ownership group headquartered in Gloucester, MA run by Jay McNiff. With the incentives generated from the solar array, The McNiff Company will be able to reduce energy costs for its tenants, including the Cape Ann Beer Company. Jay saw the advantages of going solar firsthand after being involved in a smaller solar project at Glen Urquhart, his son’s school in Beverly, MA.
“It has been a pleasure working with Solect Energy on our solar installation. After taking into consideration the needs of our tenants—in knowing firsthand Solect’s record of accomplishment—we felt it was time to make the switch,” said McNiff. “Moreover, a number of commercial tenants expressed interest in purchasing solar energy. We have to meet the needs of our clients, and this particular install will help to do that.”
Cape Ann Brewing Co. a client of The McNiff Company will be an off-taker of a significant portion of the energy produced by the array, with it covering 100% of their energy needs. “Cape Ann Brewing Company is excited about the opportunity to participate in the program offered by the McNiff Company and their investment in solar energy power. We believe in the need to utilize renewable energy and are committed to supporting this project.”
Throughout its history, the property development group has sought to practice sustainability by utilizing Massachusetts’ Brownfield program, which provides grants and technical assistance to communities, states and others to assess, clean up and reuse properties that may have previous environmental impacts present—also known as “Brownfield” properties. Their investment in the solar array continues that commitment, avoiding approximately 200,000 pounds of CO2 output every year.
“We are pleased to work with The McNiff Company on its first solar installation,” said Alex Keally, Partner at Solect. “Both The McNiff Company and its tenants like Cape Ann Beer Co., NeedyMeds and others, will procure the benefits of the system, creating a win-win for all parties in terms of cost savings and the positive environmental impact.”
“By utilizing the solar program under SREC 2, we’ve realized that sustainable energy sources can be good for the environment, good for business partners—in this case, our tenants—and finally, good for our bottom line,” added McNiff.