Hayward's Annabelle Candy Company Goes Solar--News from Annabelle Candy

    HAYWARD, CA, December 14, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The first installation day of the long-awaited, solar energy project at Hayward-based Annabelle Candy Company occurred on October 27, 2011. Our solar power generation installation project took approximately three weeks, and was finished on Friday, November 18, 2011. Since the project is finished, Annabelle Candy Company joins the growing list of companies that are choosing to act in an environmentally responsible way for the benefit of their employees, customers, and future generations.

The new solar power system consists of 1,424 SunPower 308W Modules and SunPower PowerGuard Solar Roof Tiles. Annabelle Candy Company chose to use non-penetrating, flat, lightweight solar roof tiles that will protect Annabelle's roofing from harsh weather, UV exposure and thermal cycling. The R-10 insulation will reduce the facility's heating and cooling load by an estimated 30%. The system will output 438.592kw or totaling 646,855kWh per year.

In addition to being environmentally friendly, utilizing this solar energy system will be very cost-effective for Annabelle Candy Company. The first year's operational savings is expected to be $136,766--an amazing 90% offset of the current commercial electricity bill! Over the next 25 years, Annabelle Candy Company estimates to save over $6.5 million in direct commercial electricity costs.

Annabelle Candy Company chose Silicon Valley-based Vista Solar to complete this project. Vista Solar is a solar installation and project development firm established in 2008, by parent company Silicon Valley Microelectronics Inc. This company has installed countless residential solar panel systems throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and it continues to increase its presence in the local solar marketplace.

"We at Annabelle's are proud to be one of the first manufacturing plants in the area to bring solar energy to our facilities," said Susan Gamson Karl, President and CEO of Annabelle Candy Co. "With the financial challenges we currently face in this economic environment, we feel fortunate to have found a way to offset our operating costs and help conserve our precious resources, while continuing to provide jobs for our wonderful employees."

Annabelle Candy Company, established in 1950 and subsequently moved to Hayward, CA in 1964, is a local community and West Coast candy mainstay. Started as a family business, today it is one of the largest, independently owned candy bar manufacturers in the United States. It is the maker of Rocky Road , Big Hunk , Abba-Zaba , Look , and U-NO candy bars. As the company continues to grow well into the 21st Century, it certainly wants to do its part to preserve our environmental resources.

Website: http://www.annabellecandy.com

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