Discover how IMI Norgren’s Minneapolis factory cut emissions and took a major step towards its climate goals with a large-scale new solar panel system.

The inspiration

Make a bold change that would ‘move the needle’ significantly on carbon emissions at a 24-hour facility.

Bold targets for a 24-hour factory

Norgren’s facility in Minneapolis runs day and night, producing vital components for OEMs around the world.

But keeping machines running 24 hours a day takes a lot of energy.

For Norgren, this energy consumption was a major opportunity – a chance to make changes that would have an important and valuable impact on carbon emissions.

For the last few years, the Minneapolis team had been taking major steps to reduce the amount of electricity consumed on the site.

They swapped traditional halogen bulbs for LED lighting through the factory. They installed a variable speed air compressor, which extracts excess heat from the air during the summer and reclaims heat in the winter, controlling the temperature of the factory more efficiently. And the factory has also begun upgrading its machinery, swapping old equipment for newer, more energy efficient models.

But the team didn’t just want to reduce energy consumption; they also wanted to find a way to make the energy they do use more sustainable.

Initial calculations showed one change that would truly ‘move the needle’: installing a large solar system on the factory’s roof.

Diving headfirst into solar power generation

The team were determined that they wouldn’t just ‘dip their toe’ into solar power generation. If they were going to reduce emissions by using more renewable energy, they would need to fully commit to the project.

The team decided to cover as much of the factory’s roof with solar panels as possible, all in one installation.

After carefully vetting solar panel suppliers and winning approval from an energy provider to feed energy from the solar panels into the local grid, the Minneapolis team was ready to begin installation.

A bright future for sustainability in Minneapolis

When the Minneapolis team installed the solar panels, their goal was to draw 50% of the site’s power from solar.

Just a few months after installation, the solar system is meeting expectations and is on track to deliver exactly what the team had hoped for. Data indicates that the site is on track to take over 50% of its power from the new solar system – a sizeable reduction in the Minneapolis factory's carbon footprint.

But this is only one step in an ongoing process for the factory. The team there is determined to continue uncovering new ways to cut down on emissions. They’re currently investing in changing their parts washing system – now the factory’s number one source of energy consumption – for one which uses significantly less water and electricity.

The team is also exploring other forms of renewable energy, including wind energy, in a bid to increase the proportion of electricity which is drawn from greener sources. These plans are the perfect representation of the team’s commitment to continuously improving its environmental impact – and, in the process, building a better future for everyone.

For more information about how Norgren is reducing its carbon footprint – and unlocking new benefits for its customers and people in the process – click here.